Discovery
by Maddimyth
Summary: When Sakura is left at Suna alone to train an apprentice to be a Medic Ninja, she becomes closer with a certain red head ex-Jinchuuriki. The memories from their pasts evolve their friendship something much more. SakuxGaa, with mild NaruxHina and a Lemon.
1. Beginning of the End

Well. _Shit_. I'm actually doing this.  
This is my first Fan fiction... Don't shoot me.  
I've read a zillion of Gaara x Sakura fan fictions and I've been dying to make one that's... perfect to me. Since, all the others still didn't satisfy me.  
Reason being is because all the Fanfics I read don't seem actual, so I read up on Sakura and Gaara and found a few things about them that connected the two together. And, some other interesting characteristics that were pretty shocking.  
If you haven't watched the Shippuden and a ways into the manga don't want to be spoiled;

**Read No Further!**

Okay so. Basically, this is partially into the Shippuden, so Shukaku is no longer inside him. But! He can still control the sand pretty well, he can't lose that ability.  
I've only read up on Gaara and Sakura, so I did my best acting out all the other characters. x__x  
In the first section of the story I don't know if that's exactly how things went in Sakura's life those two years Naruto poofed. It just kinda seemed like it fit though, and so I threw it in.  
After that, I just started making shit it up that's actually possible, to my best imagination.  
Sasuke is still dancing around with Orochimaru and the Akatsuki, so he probably won't be brought up much in this fanfiction. There will be a a few side couples thrown in here and there.  
I'm not perfect, I can't make them completely in character. I wanted Sakura to be a little more happier and full of care-free confidence now a days, a year or two after Shippuden. That would make her about 17, since she's 15-16 in the Shippuden.

And then shit hits the fan. lololol

Let me know what you guys think, if it's going to fast, too slow, or if there's something in there that you really think needs to be put in. Like I'm missing something. Doesn't mean I'll put it in the storyline for sure, but, I'm always open for ideas. n___n I want to make this kinda... long. But it's hard, unless I end up writing a freaking miniature book. No way. So it might go a little too fast.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

MOVING ON.  
The beginning will hold a big Naruto x Hinata scene, so, be prepared. No Sakura x Gaara as of yet.

*****************************************

_Four years. _

It doesn't seem like a long time, especially if it's already passed, but in the end it truly is. At the beginning of the first of the four years my only true best friend left. Of course, it was for a good reason – He left to train. To get stronger, smarter. Maturer. I was young when that happened, and through those months his image faded. I was weak for the first two months, my faith in myself withering. I planned on getting stronger like him, but, I couldn't do it. I was training to be a medic ninja, and when my studies began to go downhill, my mentor heaved me up from the ground I'd crashed into.

She's the Hokage, and someone I like to call my mother. With some brutal words and a healthy beating, she taught me more than anyone has taught me in my life. Along with my medic training, she taught me to fight. In _her_ way. My Medic training went on hold, and she took me under her wing when she had spare time, and we would go out to the training grounds. If I was prepared for the type of skill that was going to be taught to me, I might have actually enjoyed it sooner, but it was hell. Pure hell. It was so difficult, surviving this experience, and in my head I didn't know what to think of it.

After a while I got the hang of it. Through my training I shattered stone boulders into gray dust, I upturned the earth and created meteor like craters. I broke bones, twisted spines, and pummeled people with ease. For the first time in my life, I finally felt like I was someone.

I truly _existed._

I became stronger, happier, and the whole time I couldn't help but wish I had this motivation years passed. After time went by I finally knew who I really was. I matured, just as he did. But boy, did he make it look easy!

My obsession with Sasuke began to fade, and when it finally became a distant memory, I became friends with Ino again. We're still rivals, but, not enemies. Of course, I gave her the shock of her life when I told her, because I don't think she'd quite gotten over him yet. It didn't take long for her to set her sights on another boy after I'd come around.

That all happened on the first year. Second year, things got wilder.

With the motivation of my newly learned beat-the-hell out of people skills, I became an amazing Medic Ninja. Rumors began to fly through the town, and they were about me. People saying I outranked even the Hokage at times, and how I was the best Medic Ninja in all Konoha. The rumors, true or not, made me smile. Made my heart flip, made me punch the air in joy when no one was looking. I knew, for sure, I had actually done something right with my life.

When Naruto finally came back home, I was shocked. When he left he was a loud, annoying little blond haired kid with the biggest heart in the world. When he returned, he was still loud, and still annoying, but I could tell in his expressions that he was changed. He was matured, and older. Hell, he was even taller than me! The thought of Naruto growing up would bring tears to my eyes at times, and I soon discovered that his giant heart of his had also grown. It was almost as if that demon of his wasn't even there. Except... I soon discovered that wasn't the case.

It was there. It was _very_ there. He struggled with it, but he hid those emotions of pain, suffering, like he always did.

Until on that third year.

He'd let the demon take two much control, and in the end he almost killed me. I was being foolish, thinking that he still had some sense in his head at that time. I was wrong. That day I almost died, and he never put it down. He felt horrible. Then, one day, not too long after the incident he just let everything go. Not in the crazed, demon take over type of way. The overload of emotions type of way.

The worst pain in the world.

It was like all those years of the built up horrors of people disgusting him, speaking down to him, running from him and fearing him was being let out all in that moment. I was grateful for the fact that we were alone. Well, sort of.

Naruto fell to his knees after about an hour of us chasing him. I remember pumping so much chakra to my legs to keep up, it burned my calves, and in a matter of moments he finally stopped and let his guard down.

He began shaking. I soon discovered he was crying.

"Naruto?" I'd muttered, my hand rested on his left shoulder, my lungs trying to re-catch the breath I'd lost. His arms were wrapped around his stomach, held tight in an unbreakable grip.

I'd followed him several miles out of Konoha. He cried that day, so very much, I thought the tears would never stop. I held my brother in my arms as he started screaming. He was unmasked now, and he began shouting out several things. Some, horrible. Some, so painful, I could feel my heart skip at the emotion put into the words he said.

He was never alone, he always had friends, but I realized something that day. He needed someone to tell him that, someone to love him and hold him. Not in a family like way, but as a lover. And as soon as I realized it, I felt horrible.

"Come on, Naruto... Those days are passed now! You're stronger now, and-"

"What kind of stronger am I?! Physically, maybe... But emotionally, no! Look at me! I almost killed you yesterday, what would I have done? What wo-would I h-have d-done if I succeeded?" he'd stuttered out, tipping over so another wave of tears could engulf him.

I never let go of him.

"I'm still here! You didn't kill me, I'm safe, I'm right _here_. And you know I always will be!" I cried, gripping him harder. In a softer, weaker tone, I continued; "You will never be alone, people may be afraid of you, but you're the sweetest boy in all Konoha. There is a girl out there that loves you, and maybe if you gave that a chance, things will get better for you." In the past I'd almost considered dating this boy, and I knew he shared the same feelings. There was a mutual agreement along the lines, that him and I would never do that. We'd always be the best of friends; That was the closest thing to brother and sister. We didn't want to ruin the friendship we've created all these years.

Looking up at me, his eyes red from the tears that spilled onto the ground, his expression was full of shock. I blinked then, tears streaming down my own pale face as I smiled weakly.

"Who?" came the breathless question from the blond boy before me.

I let a breathy laugh escape before I picked him up off his feet and helped him stand. His arm rested over my shoulder and my arm tightened around his waist, he was still staring at me. Tears continued flowing down my face. Oh, how he'd grown.

"You were always so oblivious, Naruto, at those right in front of you." I spoke softly, taking my gaze off the ground and looking at him, taking my hand and pulling a few buried twigs out of my hair.

His expression was a depressing mixture of confusion and pain.

"You won't tell me, will you?"

"I was hoping you could figure it out on your own by now. I guess not."

"Then just-"

"Naruto!"

A soft, high pitched voice called as a small figure leaped down from a tall oak tree. Her hair was the color of ebony black with a slight sheen of blue, waist long. Eyes the color of the palest blue, veins were visible along the corners of her eyes for a moment before they vanished. She was roughly ten feet in front of us.

Naruto stood weakly. He was physically fine, as a medic ninja I knew that. But I couldn't heal the painful emotions that he held in his heart. That was impossible, and I wish it wasn't.

She stood there for a moment, and I knew just by her personality she was debating on coming closer or not. Always so nervous, she was fiddling with her fingers, her confidence shattered. Probably because she saw us together, semi holding each other.

She dealt with her own pain for years, and had gotten used to it. That didn't mean it didn't hurt her, though - watching Naruto eye me for several years in the past always made her sad. Like it did now. Which is why she stayed back and kept her distance, probably guessing we were together, or something along those lines.

I held Naruto up with only my arm, but he let go of my waist and just leaned against me. I turned to smile at him. I spoke only one word, and there was only one word that needed to be said.

"Her."

His expression softened when he turned his head quickly to face mine. Then, after a few seconds of breathtaking shock and realization, a very faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his deep blue eyes turning to stare at the girl before us.

"... Oh, Hell." he laughed lightly, almost like, "Oh, wow. I did miss that.". A hint of red embarrassment spreading out under his eyes and onto his cheeks. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye as he took a shaky step forward, his smile widening to a giant grin.

Then, Naruto held his arms out, inviting her to come forward. This sent an expression of surprised shock across her face.

"Hinata..." he spoke beneath his breath, his lips switching back and forth between an emotional grin and a loving smile.

Shocked, scared and worried, her eyes turned to mine in a questioning look.

I knew her well, and she'd told me of her feelings for him. How she never knew how to tell him, and how she never knew if those feelings were returned. I told her I could help. I did help.

I locked my gaze with her's, and nodded once, flashing a warm smile at her.

Then, there was no hesitation. Everything was clear to her. She smiled widely and bolted forward, looking at him and only him.

The next moment, they were in each others arms.

I heard soft murmurs come from the both of them, and Hinata was stuttering wildly, trying to find a sentence she could actually speak. Naruto was apologizing repeatedly, tears still streaming down his face. They both had grown up; Hinata is still the girl to stutter and act shy, but she has confidence now. No.

_They have each other._

The sight before me was beautiful, even though I was counting how many seconds it would take for her to faint. I was happy beyond all reason, but at the same time it made my heart just a little sad. Only because I still didn't have that feeling.

The feeling of love.

Then, the fourth year came. The year that changed all the future years planned out before me. The year I discovered that feeling I'd yearned for my entire life.

Little did I know, it had always been there.

~***~

It was a beautiful, brisk morning. Dew created a small layer of wet moisture on top of the lush grass, thin fog was strewn along the outskirts of the city, and the sun was peaking lazily from behind the evergreen trees, which would be high in the sky later that day.

"Sakura!" a voice boomed outside my front door. I blinked sleepily, groaning and glancing at my clock. It read 7:00AM, and there were no alarms set. Carelessly, I pulled the blanket over my head and attempted to go back to sleep. Right, like that was going to happen.

There was a loud slam, and then a noise sounding as if my door had been torn off it's hinges and launched into the wall closest to it.

And so, I groaned again.

"Sakura! Sakura? Sakura-" the voice cried again, annoyingly, and by this time I knew who it was. They deserved a beating. Of course, I couldn't do that quite yet – I was in my pajamas, and I looked horrible in the morning. They were not going to get one look at me. Perhaps, if I timed it just right, I could knock him out before he saw me...

"The Hokage needs you, now!" he shouted, now proceeding into demolishing the bedroom door like he'd just done my front one.

"Naruto, if you lay one hand on my door, you aren't going to have a hand by the time I'm finished with you!" I shouted angrily, throwing the covers off me and darting into my bathroom with a pair of my everyday clothes.

Silence met my words almost immediately. I heard a sigh and some irritated taping of fingers as I brushed my hair and washed the sleep out of my mouth.

"The last time I went through your window you broke my arm, but this is serious, Sakura. You need to hurry up!"

"That's because I could have been sleeping naked, for all you know- Wait, what's going on?" I asked, spitting the remains of the toothpaste into the sink before slipping into my clothes and tying my headband under my hair.

"I don't know, but, she seemed really stressed out, and demanded me to get you immediately."

"Right when you got back from your three day mission? Sounds normal to me-"

"Hurry uuuup-"

"Naruto-"

"Come on!"

That was enough to set off my temper flare.

Dealing a chakra-filled-blow to my bedroom door, I aimed right where his head had to of been, and I successfully felt my fist collide with his forehead after drilling right through the wood. Yanking my arm back through the door, I opened it, and found him laying on the ground unconscious. Muttering some colorful language beneath my breath, my hand glowed a light green color for a moment before I rested it over his head, healing whatever injury he'd received from the blow.

The next second, I bolted out my front door – which was door less, now that I remember – and towards the Hokage tower, leaping from roof to roof hurriedly.

I hate being rushed.

Reaching the balcony of the giant building, I swung myself onto the secured floor and walked into her office, where she stood facing the window, her back to her desk.

"Good, you're here." she said blankly, a small smile tugging at her lips. I stood straight and tall in front of her, my eyes still tired from sleep.

There was a heavy sigh, and she turned, her hand to her head and fingers pinching the base of her nose in deep thought, like she was trying to find something to say.

"I honestly don't know how to say this, but, Naruto requested it desperately, although, I don't know how he found out of it... Even though I have a good idea how he did." I raised an eyebrow curiously, and realized the tone in her voice wasn't business, serious like. My arms at my side were set on my sides. Whatever it was, it was going to be entertaining.

"... I realized that you guys haven't thrown a celebration party yet. For anything. And normally, I wouldn't agree to this, except for the fact that it's a bit of a tradition and I remember doing it at my age with my class. Even though it's bit of a risk. And you are of age..." she heaved a sigh, and continued.

"Basically, what I'm trying to say is; I'm thinking of allowing a giant class party for you guys. Before you get too old."

My jaw dropped.

I don't get a mission in two weeks, and suddenly I get called up here to be told I'm going on a vacation? All of us are going on a vacation?

"Whoa. Hold on. Who's all of us?"

"I still haven't decided when you're all going to do this, I'm worried some of you will get out of hand. And, your class. Ino, Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, Hinata, etc." she muttered, and I heard a chuckle come from the window.

Jiraiya was standing there, his arms crossed and his form leaning against the door frame. A smirk was spread wide on his face, and his bushy white hair stood out in every direction.

"You!" Tsunade snapped, her finger raised to point at the toad summoner. He grinned.

"This is your fault, Jiraiya, giving that boy ideas."

"I know, I know. But come on, they need a break." he said, shrugging.

The Hokage had a dark expression for a moment before she turn to flop into her seat, her face in her hands. Again.

"I have a mission for you first, of course, Sakura. IF I allow this, I mean." she continued, speaking into her hands as she did. Her expression was bleak.

"What kind of mission?"

"Don't worry about it right now, I'm just preparing you. Don't make any plans in the next couple days, even though you shouldn't anyways."

"Oh, you just don't want to because of what happened to you at our class party." he laughed.

A death glare was sent his way, along with the nearest heaviest object. Which, happened to be a stone statue of the Hokage Mountain monument behind her.

It slammed into Jiraiya, and his clone poofed into a cloud of smoke.

Reappearing to the opposite side of the room, he had a look of nervousness on his face. Holding out his arms in a way to say, "peace?" he smiled worriedly.

The Hokage continued to glare menacingly, prepared to launch something else his way.

"Sensei, I'm not really a party kind of person. Can I just watch and make sure no one kills themselves?" I interrupted their staring contest.

**Although, it really would be nice to go out and let loose...** I thought with an invisible grin. I fought back the idea and continued to smile innocently.

"Don't you even think about it. This is a party, not a chaperone opportunity. Come back a little later today. Until then, go tell Naruto the plan."

I flinched at the though of Naruto laying out cold at the front of my bedroom door, and smiled guilty, standing up straight.

"Hai!"

Turning on my heel, I leaped out to the ledge and took off, launching myself through the air and to the nearest, sturdiest roof. As I got farther, the words I heard next got quieter.

"You know, just because you got drunk and got all over me doesn't me she-"

"JIRAIYA!" she gave a bloodcurling shout, which could have probably been heard across the village. I looked over my shoulder, and a moment later I saw the toad summoner get launched off the balcony, twirling violent in the air. I grinned at the familiar sight.

Naruto and I were so much like them.

Arriving back to my house after waving to some of my fellow team mates along the way, I walked through the doorless entrance to the front of my house and over to Naruto, who was snoring on the ground in front of my beaten door. Staring, I heaved a sigh, and smiled briefly before stepping over him and into my room to grab my wallet on my nightstand.

I always leaved it at home, I forget to put in my pouch.

Heading to the nearest store that sold doors, I bought two, and carried them home effortlessly. They were both the color white, for my house walls were a deep red color, my room favored and colored a hot pink to match my hair. And, because it was my favorite color. My house was the place closest to the hospital, and it was very small. I didn't need a big fancy house, just a bedroom, a bathroom, and a decently sized kitchen connected to a living room. Which is exactly what it was.

I moved out my parent's house not too long ago. I wanted to be closer to the hospital and working there paid nicely towards my rent. I was one of the top best Medic Ninjas, I practically had it paid for me.

Heaving the doors in and out of the house and unscrewing them eventually woke up the Kyuubi bearer sleeping on my floor, and he woke rubbing his head.

"Did I fall asleep waiting for you?" Naruto groaned, heaving himself up. I shot a glare at him.

Maybe I shouldn't have healed him.

"What's with you? You're acting cold." I hissed out, sticking the two broken doors outside and attaching the new front door to its hinges, who, to my great fortune, were not that violently damaged. I heard a sigh from behind me, but I didn't stop to look back, and continued putting it on. Testing it when I was done, it shut firmly. Almost a little too firmly, but it worked.

"I'm fine. Just not the best lately. I missed Hinata's birthday while I was gone, and Kiba threw a party for her. It seems like Kiba's trying to get on her good side. Her _good_ side." he muttered, running his hand through his hair as he leaned on my couch. I cast a glance at him, and his face was a mix of extreme worry and jealousy. I couldn't help but frown.

Naruto loved Hinata. Very much. And over the past... ten or so months of dating, he'd become very protective of her, realizing how much he truly needed her. Unfortunately Naruto was oblivious to the fact that Hinata loved him through out all these years, he'd been oblivious to the fact that ever since Hinata was officially taken, Kiba started getting jealous.

"Take her out to dinner. Tell her how you feel, and that you're worried about Kiba. She trusts you, and she understands. She'll listen." I muttered, half focused on the second door I was replacing, which was much easier than the first one.

"Yeah. But I'm broke." he muttered, watching me at the corner of his eye.

"Oh don't even think about it. You broke my doors!"

"Actually, you broke the second one-"

"And you were asking for it."

"But you still did it!"

"You're still paying for them!"

"... No fair." he mumbled, leaning deeper into the couch with his arms on the top. He had a sulking look about him, like he was pouting. Which he was.

I stared at him for a moment, the look of worry never leaving his face even though he had different emotions come across his face as we were talking.

I closed my eyes.

"Alright, fine. Just this once, because Hinata deserves it. Don't you dare take her to your ramen place, take her someplace fancy. It'll impress her dad anyways, even if it's just a tiny bit."

Handing him a fifty dollar bill, (Because I don't know Japanese currency and it'd be a pain in the ass trying to figure out how much it would be in yen, and the fact I don't know Japanese prices for good restaurants, let's pretend they went someplace similar to China Harbor or something. Pricey, but not up the ass pricey.) I finished attaching the other door and felt him semi-tackle me in a giant hug, and then bolt out the front door without another word, leaving it wide open as he went. I felt myself smile as I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand.

I was tempted to light a few flower scented candles, but I knew I had to go to the store first.

"Wait, Sakura." I heard a voice, and I looked over to see Naruto's head poking in the door. I gave him a questioning look, my grocery list in hand.

"Did you talk to Granny Tsunade?" he asked, grinning mischievously.

"Hai. She told me of your little plan." I groaned, and I walked out of the door, shutting it securely behind me.

"I, and we, need this break. I want to have it in Suna."

"Suna? Why not here?"

"She must not have told you everything. You have the party somewhere other than your own village. Tradition!"

I gave him a funny look. Why would the tradition be like that? I decided to speak my mind.

"Why?"

"Obviously, if you get smashed or something, it'd be away from your hometown in case you make a fool of yourself! Anyways, gotta go talk to Hinata now." he said, running off hurriedly.

I watched until he was out of sight. It still didn't make sense, though. What if you had something like Lee's trait, and created destruction? That would give us a bad name. And a hefty fine in case someone got hurt...

I would definitely have to talk to Tsunade about that later.

~***~

"Sensei?" I asked nervously. There was a bottle of Sake on her desk, and a used cup in her unmoving hands. She'd passed out. And the last thing I was planning on doing was waking her up. This would be fun.

Creating a clone, which wasn't one of my best skills in the world, I used a cheap piece of wood as a base. My clone walked over nervously and began pushing her, nudging her, trying to awake her as gently as possible. Once I successfully completed that, she awoke with a start. With a warm greeting she gave my copy a death dealing punch, and my clone disappeared in a puff of smoke instantly.

Grateful that it wasn't me who'd just received that punch, I gave her an innocent smile.

"What, Sakura?!" she snapped, her eyelids partially closed from the effects of the sake.

"You told me to come back later. And it's definitely later. I was being nice, letting you sleep until eight o'clock." I said, folding my arms and grinning.

She glared at me for one long second, and almost drifted off to sleep again before she sat up, folding her fingers into her lap.

"My decision, right. Great." she muttered, eying the glass of Sake like it was her worst enemy. I watched intensively.

She got up from her seat and stretched, setting her hands down on the desk to sturdy herself.

"Naruto requested the party also be held in Suna." I threw in, assuming anyways that the part was happening. The woman before me bit her cheek in thought.

"He mentioned that earlier. And since I'm agreeing to this vacation, although it's still a bit dangerous, a few nights couldn't hurt. I suppose Suna would work, since it's the only true alliance we have. The Kazekage is a friend of Naruto's, a few people here know Temari and Kankuro pretty well, maybe they would like to join. And, maybe the Kazekage will join in as well."

I raised my eyebrows. She caught it.

"True." was all she said, and we both started laughing at the thought of Gaara dancing in a bar, drinking alcohol.

"It's settled then," she said, slamming her fist on the table, startling me for a minute. "I'll send word to Suna, but before I do that, I want to tell you something."

Again, I stared at her, waiting for her words. Except this time, I braced myself. Her seriousness had returned and that was never good.

"I was thinking of you taking up an apprentice to teach the ways of a medic nin. And I was thinking of sending you to Suna to do so, that way he or she can teach other's there. Suna has helped us many times in the past, but I know they are weak in the Medic category, I figured it would make up for it, sending the best Medic Ninja we have.

"This isn't for sure yet, since I haven't even asked the Kazekage and I was planning to in this letter. If he agrees, you will be staying there after the party. Understood?"

"Hai." I said without protest, thinking over the task that had just been said to me. I groaned inwardly when she turned, and she looked over her shoulder. A motherly look overtook her face for a second.

"This will take several months to complete. Plus, it's so damned hot there, it's going to take forever to get used to the climate changes. And I don't know anyone there-"

"Don't remind me, Sakura. I didn't even want to send you, but I don't trust anyone to make a good impression of the Leaf Village other than you. You are famous, anyways, for your ways in the medic nin art. I have to talk to Kakashi, Gai and the other's as soon as possible. Just be prepared to leave tomorrow night if this pulls through, although I don't think it'll be that soon.

"And no, you won't stay there for several months unless the Kazekage decides you to, I'm only sending a letter out offering a month's worth. Then he'll decide if he wants you there longer."

I nodded respectively, and bowed my head to add along with that. She turned again and I left the room and out the window like I did earlier that day. Bouncing along the roofs and taking the familiar path back to my house, I swooped into my house and shut the door securely behind me.

I went straight to my room, threw off my clothes and threw on a small black nightgown, crawling into bed immediately. I snuggled into my pillow and breathed in the scent of my laundry detergent, exhaling heavily. Before I drifted off into too deep a sleep, I got up to lock my bedroom door and open my window a crack.

The next morning, there were no interruptions, and I was able to sleep in. Sort of. I wake myself up at nine o'clock every morning. I'm a night person, but I always believed it to be healthier to get up in the morning. It seemed more natural.

I crawled out of bed and didn't bother dressing up. I did brush my hair and put my headband on though, and I felt like making a good breakfast, for this was probably my last day here, if this plan pulls through. Why couldn't we go to another village? Like the water one? We could go swimming, and watch the Water Ninja perform their arts. They were always so pre-

I stepped onto the carpet of my living room to see Ino laying on the couch. Was my home like, the lounge area? The place to go, just because? And what happened to knocking?!

"Ino, what are you doing?" I muttered, my hand still on the door handle. She looked up, grinning, and then her expression changed to a look of glee.

I couldn't help but wonder how long she'd been laying there.

"I wanted to talk to you about Shikamaru." she said, heaving herself up from the couch in her usual outfit. I headed to the fridge and pulled out the eggs and sausage, and began to go to work. I made extra for Ino, since I knew she'd steal some anyways. I was a rare cook in this village.

"Shikamaru? Oh yeah, that's right. You were after him now. Finally over Sasuke?" I snickered, putting butter in both the pans on the stove.

"Pfft, of course I am. Sasuke was a childhood thing. Now it's the real deal."

"The real deal? You want to settle down with him?" I asked, now throwing the sausage and eggs in. I glanced over at Ino and took my chance to catch her horrified look.

"S-settle down? No no. I want to have, you know, experience first." she muttered, looking away for a minute. I couldn't force back the laugh that leaked from my mouth, and I heard her giggle in response.

"You totally just made yourself sound like a slut."

"I know, I was trying not to."

"You know what I mean, right? I don't want to settle down with absolutely no experience. I just don't want to screw Shika-kun over, either. He's my friend."

"Then maybe you shouldn't hook up?" I suggested, flipping the eggs so they were over-easy.

"Maybe... But the past couple months, I've really liked him."

"Well what if you hook up with him and end up staying together for a long time?"

"Then I got really lucky."

I couldn't help but smile at how much we'd both changed. Years ago a discussion like this would have never happened, we would have thrown punches by the third sentence, if we even got that far. Sasuke was the cause of it, and I wonder how life would be if he was still here.

I grabbed a couple plates and put the cooked food on them, and set them on the table where Ino was sitting, handing her a fork before I sat on the other side.

"Mmm, I forgot why I used to come over here all the time. You're an excellent cook." she spoke through a mouthful of food, swallowed and shoveling in some more.

"Ino pig." I said, grinning. She stopped in mid-chew and glared at me. She said something back, but through a mouthful of food, I couldn't tell what the hell she'd said. Instead I started laughing, and finished up the last bits I'd grabbed for myself, which wasn't a whole lot.

I went to my room and threw my daily clothes on, pausing to look at myself in the mirror. Unlike many girls, I didn't wear make-up. If I had a pimple, I would heal it, so my skin was usually abnormally soft. I guess you could call that a bonus to being a trained medic ninja. No acne!

Rinsing the dished in the sink, I left my house after Ino had made up her mind on her plans for that day. She'd ran off towards Shikamaru's house as soon as the light bulb appeared above her head.

After several days without a mission I'd found myself wandering to the training grounds several times a day, keeping myself fit and ready for any attack. Everything was too quiet, and was driving me insane. I hadn't let my adrenaline and energy out in a while.

Then again, if this trip was going to happen, I would need a good portion of my chakra. We'd be traveling with our entire class, and if anyone ran into us with any negative plans...

I don't think they'd survive ten seconds.

But my energy burned in my veins, and I could feel my fingers tremble, like it was overflowing. Unable to resist any longer, I transferred chakra to my legs and launched myself towards the farthest building, wondering how far my feet would take me.

I was flung far, and fast – a wide grin spread on my face as I grabbed the siding of a nearby building before I smashed into the one near it. Landing on the roof, I continued with another shove, finding myself heading to the Hokage tower, playing in the air with the same giant smile. I wonder if there was such a thing as an acrobatic ninja, I felt like I was _flying._

Landing in her office somewhat clumsily, she glanced up at me, and her eyebrows raised.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing."

"Why don't you go to the hospital and use some of your energy there, instead of showing the village how much of Naruto has rubbed off on you?" she muttered, writing furiously on a piece of paper before her.

"You're a mood killer today." I groaned, folding my arms and sitting in the nearest chair.

"That reminds me," she said, looking up and catching my gaze.

"Word was sent back from Suna." she said, shuffling through a few folded papers to grab the one with the darkest parchment. I held my breath, crossing my legs.

"Unfortunately for you, the Kazekage agreed. To both questions. I believe he needed some convincing for the party, I think Temari had something to do with it..." she rested her chin on her palm as she looked over to me. I stayed silent, my mouth partially open. I felt the color drain from my face.

Then, I tipped over slightly, leaning back against the cushioned chair, my long magenta bangs dangling. I hadn't packed one thing, I didn't expect the Kazekage to agree to such an... Absurd request. Leaping up from my seat and hiding my tantrum, I stood up straight, my hands at my side.

"Don't try and act like you're fine, I know this is going to be a struggle for you. I've sent word to the others, so don't waste any time preparing. You know you're leaving tonight. " Tsunade said strictly, her and I sharing the same shattered expression.

"Two days. Three nights. Cherish those days."

I nodded, my statue-like form weakened. I headed to the window to prepare for the quickest run home to pack everything possible in a giant bag._ If _I was that lucky.

"Sakura," she said, stopping me in my tracks so I could stare over my shoulder pitifully.

"Be careful." was all she said, not even looking at me. I bit my cheek, and bolted out the window and ran furiously for my house. I saw Naruto fly passed me along the way, almost causing a collision. He was headed for Tsunade's, his expression hard and unswayed.

I reached my house and almost slammed right through my brand new door. There was almost no point in having doors in this town. I bet the man that sells them gets massive profit.

~***~

I spent the rest of that day in my house, overflowing with excitement. Even though I dreaded the trip, it was something new. Something other than sitting here everyday. I shoved clothes, products, outfits and other unneeded crap into a giant bag. I had my usual outfits, a few small pairs of clothes, feminine products and a couple photographs. Maybe an extra book, but that was all. I shoved all my Kunai and side herbs in my pockets, along with my wallet.

After about thirty minutes of preparing all the shit I'd need, I was done. With a last look at my home, double checking the stove, window locks and heater settings, I locked the front door and took off towards the front gate. I felt like a little kid in Iruka-Sensei's class, going on a field trip. I guess I should look at it more like a graduation party, which is what it was, but still. I couldn't help but imagine what horrors would evolve from this trip.

Leaping over a building, I saw my group of friends by the gate, waiting impatiently for the last person to arrive. I counted each one as I got closer.

Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Shino, Hinata, Kiba, Lee, Ten Ten, Neji, Naruto, and Sai. Oh, and me.

I grinned when I saw the sight of them all together. This was the first time... in a long time, that we've all been together.

"Sakura, hurry up!" Naruto shouted, a giant grin plastered on his face. Hinata was smiling shyly next to him, and Neji was giving her a strange look.

Landing next to the giant mob I gave a small smile and walked towards, taking my place in the group. Neji and Hinata were leading this trip, with Kiba and Shikamaru taking up the back near me. There was a brief conversation and important rules to be put down, but it was all just lazy-talk. Basics, something everyone knew.

"Let's just go. Whoever tries to attack us is surely screwed." Kiba snarled, causing Hinata to shift nervously in her spot. Shikamaru gave him an irritated look, but continued.

"Ino knows most of the ways of a medic nin. But for serious injuries, go to Sakura. Neji and Hinata, take turns with your Byakugan. Ten Ten, Chouji and Shino will go out first if there's an attack, secondly followed by Neji and Hinata. Third will be Lee, Kiba and Sai. Naruto and I are reinforcements, since I'm leader and Naruto can just threaten and finish whoever off with the Kyuubi-"

There was a cough, interrupting the giant speech. Several concentrated eyes turned to look at the blond-haired ninja.

"Believe me, I'd totally kick some ass with Kyuubi. But it's too dangerous to risk-"

"You'd use it if half of your friends were dead or almost dead anyways, Naruto. It's not like I'm asking you, you'd do it on instinct. I'm merely telling you what'll happen, in this case." he muttered, folding his arms as Ino's eyes lingered on his face for a second longer than normal. I couldn't hide the smirk that burst on my lips.

"And if shit gets really bad, Ino and Sakura make a run for it."

I groaned. I was mainly used as a medic in battle, but I always had my chakra boiling no matter how many injuries I'd healed. Ino cast me a sympathetic look. She knew just as much as I did how much this sucked. But there were only two of us, and only one fully trained.

"With no further interruptions-"

"Lets get the hell out of here!" Naruto battle cried, lurching forward with Hinata following closely behind, Neji chasing after them. All of us kicked off from the ground, heading for the closest sturdiest branch, jumping in sync and taking a minute to get in order. Even though we all were of the same age and in the same class, there weren't many times we traveled together. In was an adventure each time.

I danced like a flower petal along the branches, playing with my chakra as I leapt from branch to branch. This was practically a mission, but at the same time, there were no worries. There were twelve of us, all Chunin (Yes, all. I made Naruto a Chunin. He deserves it.), each having a special little ability, including Naruto's "secret" weapon.

I felt relieved. _Free._

This friendship was a luxury I know I wouldn't enjoy any other time, and I could sense the same enlightened mood in the people jumping near me. I took advantage of it, and laughed as I went along. I saw a look from Kiba that made me laugh harder.

"Sakura, stop being a ballerina." he shouted, imitating me once in mid-jump before he landed on another branch. I grinned.

"You learn fast~!" I cried back, twirling on a branch and kicking off a tree. A little too hard.

It wasn't a huge tree, but it was big enough. It cracked and tumbled to the ground, and I saw Chouji glance back with a look of worry.

"Alright, relax on the dance moves." he muttered.

"AMAZING!" came a shout from Lee, which made me flinch during my kick off. I stopped playing around and continued observing our surroundings, but Lee's unbroken stare always concerned me. The boy has such a crush on me, it always made me nervous.

We made camp as soon as the sun had vanished behind the distant trees. We wanted to get there as soon as possible, but we also needed to reserve our energy. Chouji, one of the bearer of blankets and sleeping bags, began handing them out. I took mine and laid it farthest from the fire, but not too far. I hated sleeping near anything too hot.

With twelve Chunin sleeping on the far outskirts of the Leaf territory, we were a delicious target for anyone who wanted to hurt Konoha. Neji sat up and kept watch, and Shino stayed up with him, his bugs laid out far from camp to keep an eye on distant threats.

The next morning we ate our packed food and traded some with others, only having a brief break for talk before we were on the move again. We were slightly delayed, of course, Naruto was painfully difficult to wake up early in the mornings.

The next night and day were a repeat of before, and before we even realized it, we were in Suna right before sundown. As soon as I saw the city in the distance, I'd pumped enough chakra to my legs to make me speed off past the group. They soon did the same, and we were flying through the desert, the sun beating down on us. Lee, to my entertainment and his pleasure, ran right past us without breaking a sweat.

I bet he was still nervous, though, to be near Gaara. The Kazekage had messed up the green-suited boy in the past, threatening Lee's chance to continue being a ninja. Thankfully for Lady Tsunade's technique, he was saved.

We reached the gates of Sunakagure in a matter of seconds. We thundered to a stop, the guards watching us nervously. He was lucky, if we weren't friendly he wouldn't even know what hit him.

Shikamaru shared a few words with him, and the guard smirked, letting us pass through. We were immediately greeted by Temari and Kankuro. They broken into loud conversation, except for me and Neji who walked in the back, his Byakugan still activated. He was obviously still wary of this place, but not me. Anyone here would be a fool to attack us, Gaara would strike them down with a fist of sand.

Following them we reached our rooms, which would be shared between Teams. How on earth could Konoha afford such amazing Hotels? They each had three bedrooms, with beautiful white sheets, gorgeously decorated bathrooms, and impossibly clean kitchens. I cleaned my house daily and I still can't get it as clean as this.

They were all right next to each other, four big hotel rooms each. We had the top floor.

But I quickly remembered that this was only for three nights. I'd probably be transferred to a tiny little house as soon as we were done celebrating. With a sigh, I shoved those thoughts out of my mind, starting to unpack some of my things. The first thing Naruto did was come flying in and crash into his bed, collapsing on it. He was out cold a few minutes after his eyes being shut. It was now dark out, and I felt the effects of the travel finally get to me. My eyes began to reject reality, and I soon gave in.

Until, of course, there was a knock at the door.

I heaved myself off the bed I'd been laying on, sauntering to my bedroom door and dramatically heaving it open. Standing there was Temari, smirking, but always friendly. Sort of.

"The Kazekage has summoned you, Sakura, to discuss your stay here. Ready?" she said professionally. I frowned tiredly, wishing he could have decided this in the morning. Temari must have just walked in, because Naruto was out cold and Sai wasn't even here. He'd unpacked his things and left as soon as he was done.

"Hai..." I replied, bowing tiredly and leaving the door open before I turned to re-grab my garments and such before heading back to the door.

"I'm sorry for having you do this right when you get here, Gaa- The Kazekage is a little... Irritated at the fact he hasn't even spoken to you yet and everything is already planned out for him. Everything sort of happened so quick, and now we have twelve Leaf Village Chunin to protect, even though you're very capable of doing that yourselves. I guess it's just how he is, really." she explained with a shrug, my mind desperately trying to keep up with her words.

"Just remember he's still a bit frustrated with Shukaku being gone and all, so he's been having some strange mood swings. He won't kill you, but he's having a hard time gripping his emotions. It's strange, but mildly entertaining." she said with a giggle, beaming over to me. I reached into my bag and grabbed a pill, Temari eying me curiously, and I quickly swallowed it. I needed the energy for this.

Once the pill kicked in we started running, and she guided me to his office. It was in a tower somewhat similar to the Hokage's, but designed completely different. When I walked in with Temari, she pointed to the door, and stayed outside. I gave her a nervous look, but continued.

There was never a time Gaara and I even talked alone in the past. There was the time he almost killed me when were were twelve. I'd thrown myself in front of Sasuke, and he was going insane. And then the time he died a year and a half ago, and was saved by a life-sacrificing Justu. That was also the time I saved his brother Kankuro from a fatal poisoning.

I held my breath and hesitated at the handle of his office door, and before opening it and stepping in, I put on a fake smile.

*****************************************

... alrighty then.  
Sakura's apprentice in the next chapter is completely random. If there was actually someone in Suna I knew of that could have worked, I would use him. I had to pick a guy. Because I want a male medical ninja person, not another female.  
justbecauseisaidso

oh and. review plz? C:


	2. Sunagakure

That was more annoying than I realized.  
I thought I was going to be able to avoid the uh... Spaces between paragraphs thing a lot easier.  
Unfortunately, no.  
I had to re-upload the damn thing, with spaces, and delete them before I submitted it.  
How. Gay. Is. That. D:  
So. If things are fucked up and look weird, it means I'm struggling to fix it.  
All at the same time trying not to smash the screen in. u__u  
Oh well. Thank you for the reviews so far. c:  
Now, for Chapter 2~!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

*****************************************

Gaara glanced up from his paperwork for a second before going right back to what he was doing. Cautiously, I shut the door gently behind me, walking forward to stop only a few feet from his desk.

"Sit," came his voice, firm and serious. Leader-like. My inner self smiled secretly.

I sat down at his command, crossing my legs and folding my hands on my lap, waiting patiently. Finally realizing how much I really needed to pay attention to my hygiene, I shifted uncomfortably, deciding the first thing I was going to do when I get back is take a hot shower.

This visit was going to be weird. He was always quiet, basically silent, and now he was the Kazekage. He had responsibilities, which meant he had to talk. A lot.

"The Hokage has offered you take up an apprentice to train here in Suna. I've decided who that apprentice is, for he's shown potential," he explained, his voice calm, but slightly deeper than what I remember it being. Rising from his giant maroon colored chair, he went over to a table near him and grabbed a few sheets of paper, turning to hand them to me.

There was no expression on his face, of course. Always so serious. If I could sigh right now, I would; The guy needed a break.

"Thank you, Ga- Uhm, Lord Kazekage." I stammered, shaking my head and scolding myself mentally, holding the papers in hand and scanning over the information as fast as I could. At the corner of his eye, I saw him glance at me, but I didn't look up. I rose from my seat, preparing to take my leave.

"Come back tomorrow morning, I'll have him here for you. He'll take you to the hospital." he continued explaining, eyes no longer on me. I simple nodded.

Hiryu Teziga. That was the name of the boy I'd be training for the next month. I breathed in sharply, realizing how long those words sounded now that I was actually gone. No more home.

Anxiety washed over me at that moment, and I struggled in my spot. Turning to go, I stopped to ask one last question before I ran off.

"Are you going to the celebration party?" I asked, a true smile rising on my expression. Sitting in his seat now, he was going through a massive pile of paperwork. My expression changed to one of sympathy. He _really_ needed to get out.

There was a pause, and he froze. Surely he must've not forgotten? Oh boy. No wonder he was making plans during my relaxing period.

"Not likely." was the only thing he said before he continued. Damn, he even looked like he was considering on going for a second there. Determination washed over me, and I put my hands on my hips, staring back at him.

"What? You _have_ to go, Kazekage-sama. You need a break." I said, trying my best to convince him, without getting chewed out. Or worse. I saw a thin trail of sand pass me and to the door, opening it where Temari stood impatiently.

"Alright, suit yourself." I mumbled inaudibly, turning and walking out. I bit my lip at my failure, and immediately remembered the shower I'd been thinking about earlier.

The door shut behind me and Temari followed.

"I'll talk to him." she said quietly, turning to wink at me. Sneaky.

"He's stubborn, as always. That much hasn't changed." I laughed lightly, having her guide me back to the hotel. I was lost already, these streets were a lot different than Konoha's. Sand was everywhere, and unfortunately the front part of my boots were uncovered, so a lot of unwanted sand buried underneath my feet. Ugh. I would need a unique pair of boots for Suna.

"Temari? Can you help me tomorrow?" I asked, knowing that she was probably the only person I could go to for... Shopping issues. She beamed at me.

"You need help? With what?" she asked, shock overlapping the content expression on her face.

"Finding new boots." I muttered, glancing at my feet. Temari starting laughing.

"Sure, I know a store that sells some boots. What's so wrong with them? They look fine."

"Eh, I don't like sand in between my toes."

"Oh, you get used to that." she smirked as we rounded the corner to the hotel. I wasn't going to get used to the sand anytime soon, unfortunately. I hope prices weren't sky high here. As soon as we got to my door, Temari didn't waste anytime to get back to her own bed and sleep.

"Good night, Sakura." she said with a brief smile, backing up slightly.

And with a small wave from me and a flutter of wind from her fan, she was gone. Sometimes I wished I was gifted in an elemental talent like other's, but I quickly shoved those thoughts away. Not many people were experienced in the medical field like me, and I was grateful for that.

I walked into the living room to find only the front entrance light on, Sai's door closed and Naruto's open, showing him sprawled out on his bed, shirtless. Shaking my head, I went to my room to grab a couple towels and a wash rag, turning to head to the bathroom.

There was already shampoo and conditioner along the rim of the tub, and I raised an eyebrow at the sight.

_Huh. Wouldn't hurt trying out their special Suna Shampoo and Conditioner. It's here for a reason, _my inner thought mischievously. With a grin, I left my hair products on the counter, jumping into the shower once the water was the perfect temperature.

Showers were my time to escape. To be alone, think whatever I wanted, uninterrupted. I didn't know what type of party this would be, if we had to dress up or if we could just wear what we wanted.

Casual, but not formal.

When I was clean and the bathroom smell like my body soap, I threw my hair up in a towel and dried it, finishing it off with the hair dryer. Sleeping with my hair wet was suicide. Wrapping my towel around me when I was satisfied, I walked out of the bathroom. Naruto was at the sink, chugging a giant glass full of water. I gasped, ducking back into the bathroom.

Naruto may be my brother in _my eyes,_ by I wasn't going to skip out into the living room wearing nothing but a towel. No way in hell.

I watched from the edge of the door frame, waiting for him to turn and go back to his room. But he just stood there, the cup on the counter, and his hands along the edges of the sink. Was he sleepwalking? Nah. But if he was awake he would have surely heard me.

Okay, maybe if I moved fast. Really fast, he wouldn't see me. Right?

Holding my breath and launching myself for my bedroom, I blurred across the kitchen in a flash of pink and white. I heard Naruto laughing as soon as I shut my door, and I couldn't help but smile a bit too.

The next day, I sat patiently outside of the Kazekage's room in one of their gold colored chairs, obviously the main color for this building being maroon and gold. He'd been in a meeting, apparently, and I'd arrived early just to be safe. I wish I hadn't, I forgot how much of a hassle meetings were, you could never tell how long they lasted.

After about twenty minutes of picking at my training-worn nails and drumming my fingers silently on my legs I saw him step out of his room, catching me slightly off guard. People walked out of his room quickly, casting me dangerous glares. I'm assuming, by how they dressed in heavy fabric that consisted of huge robes that trailed all the way down to their feet, they were the High Council of Suna.

If they were as annoying as the High Council of Konoha, Gaara is probably beyond relieved at the fact they were leaving. Fighting the urge to glare, I smiled sweetly and quickly followed the Kazekage into his office.

The door shut behind us, and I left out the breath of air I'd been holding. To my shock, Gaara smirked. Temari was right, he had changed – you can tell by his smirk, and I could find out more, but that would mean I'd have to look at his eyes. No thank you, that was my personal weakness.

"He will be arriving shortly." his dull voice said as he leaned against his desk, arms folded. It took me a second to absorb how much he truly _had_ changed. Last night I just got a preview, now I was fully awake, and I could see completely. I couldn't force away the smile on my face. I folded my arms, slightly mimicking him, as I noticed how peaceful his face was. Of course, he was slightly irritated, probably because after this he had a ton of paperwork to go through.

His outfit was the same, of course, but he must have hit a growth spurt through the past year I hadn't seen him. Maybe he hadn't grown as much, but his baby face was gone, and to replace it were sturdy jawbones. That blood red hair was no longer cropped jaggedly short, it was thicker and slightly longer, looking healthier than it did when Shukaku was torturing him.

After a long while, he finally looked over. He raised his non-existent eyebrows.

"What?" came the voice I didn't expect to come, and I blinked for a second, realizing I'd been staring. I shook my head.

"Sorry, Lord Kazekage. I just didn't realize how much you'd _grown_ until now." I explained, my arms still folded. And, with a bit of unburied confidence, I also grinned. I was no longer afraid, there's no way in hell he'd kill me, even if he wanted to. Even for Gaara I knew that was the stupidest thing he could do at this point, especially as Kazekage and me being the top Medical Ninja of Konoha, here to willingly train _his _student.

And to my bewilderment, he unfolded his arms so he could use them to hold him up, gripping the desk behind him, his expression unaltered.

"How so?" he asked, simply, to my bad luck. If I could groan, I would of.

"How? Uh, well, you don't look like a boy anymore. You look like an adult, kind of. Or more like a grown teenager," I stuttered to find the right words, his gaze paralyzing me. Finally, I took a deep breath, and finished.

"You definitely look like a leader now." I smirked.

I must have said the right thing, because he paused, and smiled. _Smiled._

And not some little welcoming smile, or fake one. Definitely not fake, those were simple to point out, after knowing Sai long enough it was easy to tell apart. It was a happy smile, like he was relieved. Maybe he was worried he wasn't enough of a leader, or maybe he just never had anyone go out and tell him something like that before. People were afraid to speak around him, so in a way in made sense.

I wasn't sure if it was a smile though, if could have been a smirk, knowing Gaara it was hard to tell. But it was different this time, and I felt flustered at his gaze. I hated it when he stared.

"Thank you, Haruno." he muttered, still staring at me.

The door opened suddenly, releasing that tension, and our heads snapped to see who it was. A frail looking boy walked in, wearing fishnets for his under garments on his chest and a simple black tank top to cover it, a blue streak going through the middle of the shirt. He wore a fairly large black belt along his dark blue and black pants, and they were rolled up to his knees. Wearing huge black boots for his shoes, he stomped in. His appearance was threatening, and I held my breath.

I expected him to start glaring, put his hands on his hips, or shout. Something like that. But he didn't, instead he shyly walked in, his light orange bangs barely hovering over his light blue eyes. He was pretty cute for his age, but when I realized his height as he got closer, it took everything I could muster not to gape.

He was huge, only being a year younger than me, and he towered over me and Gaara. Of course Gaara was only a few inches taller than me, but, it was still insane. His muscles stood out vividly under his tan arms, and he must have hit puberty early, due to how some of his tones were shaped so maturely. I wasn't teaching some kid like I thought I was teaching.

"Hiryu, this is your mentor, Haruno Sakura. She will be your sense for the next month, like you had wanted." Gaara said, his smile no longer there, replaced by a hard expression.

"Y-yes, Lord Kazekage-sama." he stuttered, bowing lowly towards him, and then to me.

I released the breath I was holding and smiled. He stared at me, his bright blue eyes piercing me. He'd requested me as his mentor? Literally me, or, just a Medical-nin in general?

"Nice to meet you, Hiryu." I said with the nicest, most innocent tone I could muster. The boy's expression changed to one of shock, almost wonder, as his cheeks turned a very faint shade of scarlet.

I blinked. Was this boy blushing at me?

"Ni-Nice to meet y-you too, H-Haruno-Sen-Sensei." he stuttered out, bowing once more, for some reason. _Maybe for good luck,_ I thought to myself, suppressing laughter.

"Nice talking to you again, Lord Kazekage. Hopefully we'll be seeing you tonight?" I questioned, taking my gaze off Hiryu and looking to Gaara. He was watching Hiryu. My words met silence, again, and I saw the door open by the sand he'd summoned yesterday.

This time, I sighed irritably, having enough respect not to cast him a glare before I turned and headed for the door, Hiryu following me obediently.

"Alright, alright." I said, closing my eyes and waving my right hand as I talked. I exited his office and walking down the stairs, I felt the heavy stare of _someone_ watching me from behind me, and I felt a shiver go down my spine. The guy was cute, yes, but I don't do dating. I didn't feel like flustering him by turning around and commanding him to stop either. If he was anything like Hinata, who he reminded me of, he'd get his heart broken. Or he just might faint, whichever one.

When we got out of the building, I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and waited for a moment. Then, I turned to look at him, making sure not to meet his eyes.

"You're going to show me the hospital, right? I have no idea where it is," I said, shifting in my spot briefly and giving him an embarrassed grin. He almost tripped when I turned back and talked, and immediately he started acting nervous.

"O-Oh, yeah. This w-way." he stammered, walking a little more so he was right beside me. He had to have been a good foot taller than me, he was at least six feet tall. He guided me through the streets, no longer staring at me. Maybe he wasn't staring at me, maybe there was something on my back. Like a stain I didn't see in the wash, or something.

Or, he was staring at my ass.

Anger overtook me fairly quickly, and I clenched the fist he couldn't see. I was more than ready to show him the other skill I was really good at other than healing people, which was beating people to a bloody pulp.

"He-Here." he said, stopping in his spot as soon as we got to the giant, enormously sized brown building. I was caught by surprise for a minute, I didn't expect Suna's hospital to be this huge. Maybe Gaara put too many people in the hospital back in the day. With that thought, I snickered quietly to myself.

"Thank you, Hiryu. Hold on a moment, I'm going to get a bird's eye view of it, that way if I'm traveling by roof I can find it easier." I explained, jumping up a few buildings quickly to get to the one that was the tallest. The roof was, oddly, a very pale gray color, and it had the Suna color painted in dark brown on the top. Grinning, I fell back to the ground, unharmed, and satisfied. I wouldn't miss it.

"Okay, got it memorized." I said, grinning.

"What were you ta-talking about e-earlier? W-with Lord Ka-Kazekage?" he asked, looking down to the ground. For a boy dressed as he is and his size, he shouldn't be this nervous. It was strange.

"In his office? Well," I started, thinking over if I should tell him about tonight's event. "Basically, twelve people from Konoha, one being myself, have come to spend a few celebrating nights here in Suna to celebrate our Chunin ranks and the last days of being a teenager, really. I only heard of this tradition recently, but, we're only here for a few days."

The word of the party was probably already spread. I mean, who'd miss twelve new faces in Suna, wearing Konoha headbands? It couldn't be a secret. Hiryu's face lightened, and he smiled lightly.

"You're stayi-staying though, r-right?" he asked, watching me curiously.

"Yes. I won't be training you for at least a few days, sorry to say." I said with a nod.

"Sakura!"

The voice caught me off guard, and I turned to see who it was. Temari ran up, a grin plastered to her face.

"Oh, T-Temari-san!" Hiryu said, bowing so fast he almost hurled himself to the ground. And if he'd succeeded, he'd probably be in the ground, just like an ostrich.

"Hey, not time to talk, lets go! Sorry!" Temari spoke fast, glancing apologetically to Hiryu real quick and grabbing my arm, turning to bolt the direction she came running.

"Sorry Hiryu-" I started and was suddenly hauled off around the corner and down the streets, Temari bowling people over like they were pins. I eventually caught my feet and ran evenly with her, noticing she still had a huge smile on her face, so whatever the fuss was about, it wasn't bad.

We rounded a few more corners and over a giant roof before landing in front of a giant shoe shop, and I felt like rolling my eyes. Man, she was serious.

Pulling me into the building, the beads clang together in front of the door that we moved through, and then we stopped at a random area in the door. Pointing to a pair of boots that took me a second to see, my eyes still re-adjusting to the light, she made a sound that probably meant, "look!".

They were beautiful. That alone said it, and my casual look turned into one of pleased joy. There were no holes in it, no spots where sand could sneak its way in, even if I walked in the sand for several miles. They were huge too, bigger and meaner looking that mine, but they had a sense of feminism to it, which made them scream out to me.

Temari and I had the same taste, who would have known?

"Shit, Temari. How much are these?" I asked, my expression flustered and shocked, my hands already holding one of the boots in them. They were _perfect._

"Fifty bucks. But since you're the only one here who hasn't annoyed the hell out of me yet, I'll pay for half. Take it as a gift of... Acceptance." she smirked, flashing a smile at me, whipping out some cash to combine with mine.

"Temari, you're amazing."

"I know." she grinned.

I grinned back, shoving the boot back in the box and grabbing my wallet to find my money. After pulling out the other half of the price for these boots, I found the right size and walked to the cashier, setting the shoes on the counter. With an exchanged smile, a few "thank you's" and a long pause, I was out the door and rushing back to my place.

"I have to try these on." I said hurriedly, leaping off a few buildings so I could get higher, looking for the roof and building of the hotel. Temari was following me, keeping up easily.

"Why not now?"

"Sands all in my feet, it's not a pretty sight." I muttered only loud enough for her to hear, my hand slightly covering my mouth, and her brilliant laughter was heard from beside me.

We arrived at my hotel in a matter of seconds, and I flung myself up the stairs and into the living room, Temari close behind. All this excitement over shoes, which was abnormal for me. I think it's that fact I won't have to endure this sandy suffering for the next month that's getting me so excited, not just the shoes.

Naruto was on the couch when we busted in, and when he woke up he yelled in shock, reaching for the pouch full of Kunai at his waist. Which, wasn't there. He was still in his pajamas.

"Geez, what's the commotion about? Oh, hey Temari." Naruto grumbled, itching the back of his head sleepily.

"Temari helped me buy some shoes I can actually wear here." I said before flinging myself to the bathroom, turning on the tub water and filling it up. Heading back to my room to make sure my things were still intact, Temari had already beat me to it.

"Hey, how'd you know this was my room?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was the only one with the door shut." she said, smirking, glancing at some of my clothes.

In many ways, now that I was discovering, Temari was a lot like me. We packed more than a punch, but we were both decently attractive. Or at least I thought I was, Sai thought otherwise. Then again, he thought that about everyone. Also, we both had the same personality traits, except she was a bit more dominant, from what I could tell. And she had more nerve.

"Oh yeah, what's the theme for the party tonight?" I asked briefly before turning for the door.

"It's a free for all party, not formal, but don't come wearing your Ninja clothing, either." she said, her eyes on my clothes that she was folding and putting on the bed neatly. It looked more like she was trying to find out what my sense of style was, and being nice about it was the only way she could hide it. I snickered when I shut the door.

Then I paused for a second, my two fingers placed on my cheek as I attempted to think of a pair of clothes that I could wear that I brought with me. It didn't take long for me to realize there was nothing really I'd enjoy wearing, and I sighed. When I got to the bathroom the tub was partially full, and I opened the window and held out my shoes to beat my worn shoes together, getting off as much sand as I could.

It was stuck all over my feet, in between my toes and everything. It was horrible. Shoving them into the tub as soon as I was satisfied with the abuse of my shoes, I relaxed quickly.

I washed my feet after the sand was cleaned from them and proceeded to shaving my legs real quick, then I drained the tub. I carried my Konoha shoes to the room with my new ones, Naruto already dressed and gone.

On my bed were a pile of my Ninja clothes folded neatly in pairs, and then there was my casual clothes. Under garments were put messily in another pile, like she didn't want to spend too much time making them look pretty and nice, since they were underwear clothing and all.

"You didn't bring a whole lot for a month." she muttered, eying the clothes with something on her mind.

"I know. I didn't want to heave around another bag or two, though. I should have done it anyways, I regret not." I replied, going through my casual clothes. I really didn't bring a whole lot, and it showed by how many pairs.

"I'd lend you some of my clothes, but you're really tiny. All my clothes would be big on you. It's weird, you have massive muscle but it barely even shows for your size." Temari said.

I nodded at her words, trying to find a top I liked, and a bottom I could live with. Anything jean material wasn't my thing, so if I wore pants it'd be sweats. The only shorts I had were the black ones I wear underneath my skirt. I wore a lot of skirts, but, nothing uncomfortable and showy. When it comes to shirts, I had a few different styles, but nothing crazy.

I glanced over a the clock on the night stand, which read one o'clock. There was still half the day left, and with that, I groaned. I was probably going to take a nap to kill time.

At the thought of sleep, my eyelids lowered slightly, and I yawned widely. Temari, taking that as a sign, stretched her arms out from behind her and started for the door.

"I'm going to go convince my baby brother to come to the party. Catch you later, Sakura!" she said, her hand reach for her fan as she flung herself out the window, vanishing in a blink like she had the day before. I smiled to myself, watching her as she went, then I turned to place my clothes on the dresser. There was no point to put them in their, and there was enough room to just place it on top. I did, though, leave my underwear and pajamas in the bag though. I decided what pair of clothes I'd wear for tonight before I changed into a pair of green pajamas to take a nap in.

When I rolled over after a few minutes of waking up to see the time read 5 o'clock, I shrieked. I hadn't expected to sleep five hours, but I know I must have needed it to have actually managed sleeping this long. Leaping out of my bed and tugging the pajamas over my head as fast as I could, I threw on my desired clothing, attaching a few hidden Kunai in my skirt just for precaution.

Eventually I'd decided on a dark scarlet colored shirt that went around my shoulders, so it was almost like a t-shirt, yet the top of my shoulders were shown. I had to put on a strapless bra for that, which always showed the true size of my breasts, and were extremely uncomfortable to wear.

The skirt was black and breathable, much similar to the one I wore in combat, except it covered more. The usual white-pink one I had flowed out a lot, the black shorts I had underneath did the real job. Along the side of it was a piece of hot pick cloth that started from the middle of my front and ended in the middle of the back. On the other side was a piece identical of it, which made this skirt really unique. It was the reason I bought it, and I favored it so much I wore it often, but not everyone knew that.

I went to the bathroom to check my face of any last minute unwanted acne, using my healing Jutsu to run a check over my face. My pores cleansed themselves and were less visible by the time I was finished, and whatever was dirty was clean. It was a difficult thing to do even at my ability, since there were so many pores, and I was glad it was just my face I had to check. Oh, and my shoulders, which were never a problem for me.

I ran my glowing green hand over my shoulders anyways, and headed for the door.

The second I had my hand on the handle, Temari came flying in.

"The stupid, stubborn ass, Kazekage Lord of-" she was muttering, and I stepped back to watch her rage unfold with amusement.

"From the sounds of it, he said no."

"He did more than that! He launched me out of the window! With no sand padding beneath, like I was expecting. Ugh." she growled, lifting her ankle out and twisting it, and not more than a second later she flinched.

"If you died and came back, you definitely wouldn't be a cat. You must have landed on it wrong, from the looks." I muttered, kneeling down and running the green aura on my hand across the joints of her ankle. It was healed in a matter of seconds, and when I moved my hand away she stood on it, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank the gods you're here to help with this stuff, Sakura, even if it's really small and pointless. A twisted ankle is hell through a night of high heels and dancing." she groaned, a smile spreading on her face.

"I'm not using it for anything else yet, so it's nothing huge." I said with a shrug, finally taking a minute to look at what she was wearing. She wasn't dressed fancy like I thought she'd be, instead she looked _extremely_ casual. Dressed in black caprees and black high heels, with a out of the norm purple top, she looked pretty. The earrings, necklace and make up made up for the clothes though.

"Sakura, that skirt is really pretty. It fits you perfect- Why aren't you wearing make up?" she paused to ask, examining my face. I blinked, caught off guard.

"I don't wear make up-"

"What?! Sakura!" she shouted, her hands on her hips.

"It bugs me."

"We're making a stop by my house before we go. It's not far from the bar anyways."

I scoffed. Bar? Our party was in a bar? I groaned, and realized that maybe this wasn't the best idea after all. I don't blame Gaara for not wanting to go.

We left as soon as she'd decided, and I found it pointless to argue. I'd only allow a little make-up, I wasn't going overboard. It'd be a change. We moved fairly quickly, and the new boots I was wearing felt amazing. No sand, no unwanted air or moisture. Perfect. What made me curious was how the hell she moved as fast as she did in high heels, and after a while I realized she was jumping with the very tips of the shoes, not putting any weight on the back piece that looked like they'd snap at the slightest pressure.

I remember before I was a Chunin I walked around a lot, I wasn't the most graceful girl in the world. Now I was leaping around on buildings with massive grace, it was pretty funny. We reached her house pretty quick, which was right next to the Kazekage's office. We ran upstairs and into her own personal bathroom where she had layed out several, several make up products and things I'd never seen before. Slightly nervous, I shifted in my spot.

"I won't kill you. Sit." she laughed, pointing to the edge of the bathroom counter.

"Now hold very, very still." she muttered, bringing her hand closer to my face. She then, very delicately, began to put some mascara on, running it through my eyelashes very slowly and carefully. We still had some time to waste, but everyone would be there soon.

"Not a whole lot, Temari, I don't want to look fake." I muttered, looking at the same speck on the wall as I saw her grin at the corner of my eye.

"You don't need a whole lot. You have huge eyelashes. I'm just making them look thicker." she chuckled, running the mascara over my other set of eyelashes. There was a time I blinked violently, smearing it, but she took a cold, wet pad and wiped it off.

After that she put on a very thin layer of black eyeliner along my eye, which made me blink several, several times. I didn't like eyeliner all that much, but a little always helped for me. Then, she did something I really, really liked – she pulled out this strange eyeliner, which was bright pink, and somewhat shiny.

She ran it under my eyelashes on the bottom, and along my top eyelashes on top, so it met at the corners at the edges of my eyes. It looked really pretty, and I gasped when I saw my reflection. The thin amount of mascara and eyeliner helped, but the pink make up she put on was amazing. Okay, I definitely didn't regret coming now.

"Do you like it?" she asked, already knowing the answer just looking at my expression.

"Hai, I like it a lot. I didn't know they had sparkly pink eyeliner. I'm going to get some, it's probably the only make up I'm going to wear. It really brings out the color of my eyes. Anyways, it looks perfect." I complimented, leaning in to the mirror to get a closer look. She put it on really well, I would have messed up so many times.

"Oh, but put on this." she handed a small little bottle to me, and I recognized it as lip gloss.

"I don't-"

"Trust me, I hate lip gloss and lip stick. It's not colored, it just adds a bit of shine. It's partially chapstick, too." she said, still holding it out to me. I nodded and immediately put it on when she mentioned it was part chapstick, I used to wear a lot of it.

The shine it created was almost overkill though, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.

Without wasting anymore time, we ran down the stairs and out the door, staying on the ground this time. Temari lead the way, and I suddenly felt more grown-up than usual. I may be seventeen, but I felt passed twenty, wearing make up and going to a bar.

Except when we got there, it wasn't what I expected at all. We walked through the bar and to a pair of two hidden double doors. We walked down a pair of velvet colored steps with very dim lighting along the walls, and it took a minute before I heard the music. I started smiling subconsciously, and then I found myself grinning.

When I walked in, lights were cast along the floor, black lights glowing everywhere. It was a giant underground dance floor, except it had a bar in front of it to hide the back. The room wasn't giant, but it held all of us perfectly. I soon realized that there wasn't twelve of us, but in fact a lot more. Kankuro and Temari were a bonus, but some Suna Chunin as well and I was worried for a second that they were angry. Then I realized that not a few had shown up, but several Chunin. They were probably celebrating their year as well.

Shoving the worried thoughts out of my head, the music blasted in my ears, and it took me a minute to get used to it. Naruto came running up, a giant grin spread across his face, wearing a giant black shirt with his usual orange logo and a pair of simple baggy black pants. He stopped dead when his eyes absorbed the sight of me, and he took a few awkward steps forward, glancing somewhere else a few times before speaking.

"You didn't have to get dressed up all fancy." he muttered, poking his cheek with his finger.

I took that as a compliment, it was as good as I was going to get.

"This is casual for me. The pink eyeliner is a plus." I said, grinning, still in love with the eyeliner Temari had shown me. Although, I'm sure, that's not what Naruto meant. He just wasn't used to me dressing up in anything else other than my ninja clothing.

Hinata came running up beside him as soon as she saw him towards me, and I knew she was probably still nervous that he still liked me. Which he did. The hidden blush I could see when the light ran over his face were enough to tell me otherwise, and I couldn't help but give her a sympathetic look.

We walked along the edge of the dancefloor, and I could tell some of the Suna Chunin were a little... nervous around us, and visa versa.

_With a few drinks that should change,_ my inner personality cheered, and I smiled mischievously on the outside.

I sat down at the bar, where they had fruity little drinks and knock you on your ass drinks. I stared at all the choices, and ended up just turning right around in my spinning seat, watching people converse and dance from along the room. I wasn't a party girl, though I'm sure I would be after a few drinks. Which is not what was going to happen, I wasn't losing my virginity tonight. No way in hell.

Shikamaru was being prowled by Ino, and I snickered at the sight. Temari was watching as well, a strange expression overtaking her face. She soon took off after Shikamaru, not bothering to say goodbye or worry about anyone else. I couldn't quite tell why she was so irritated, and didn't spend much time trying to figure out, everything else was so entertaining.

Chouji, Kankuro and Shino, probably the most somewhat unique out of all of us were at the farthest end of the bar drinking. Except for Shino, who stayed sulky in the corner. There was nothing that would get him out of his shell. There was a sudden increase in chanting, and I looked back to see Chouji and Kankuro chugging their drinks violently, attempted to be the first to finish. Then, they did it again. And again. When I was almost positive they were going to hurl up what they'd just drank, they surprisingly kept it down, and I watched for a few minutes longer to see the effects kick in. It was worth it. Chouji curled up in his famous inflated ball form and began rolling around, laughing madly and swaying everywhere, Kankuro stumbling after him like an obedient puppet. Oh, the irony.

I was distracted when I saw Naruto fall from the ceiling, and laughed when I saw Sai painting fading ink in the lights on the ceiling. When the light shined down it look like a running dog, a jumping tiger, or something of the other. He was always creative, and it was even funnier when Naruto started trying to get on the ceiling like he did, and failing massively.

Hinata, Ten Ten and Neji were in the middle of the crowded dancefloor, talking. For a moment I was worried, but then I saw a glimpse of Hinata grinning, and Neji smiling. Ten Ten was laughing after a moment, and Hinata joined in. Maybe things between the cousins were getting better after all.

For some reason of the other, Lee and Kiba were... Fighting on the dancefloor. But, play fighting, like in sequence, kicking and punching at the perfect times so they easily dodged. Then it got faster, until Lee hit Kiba. There was a loud crash, and then Lee whooping in celebration. Kiba had hit a wall, and dented it fairly decently, and was dusting some debree off with a defeated expression. Looked like the game rule was whoever got hit first lost.

And then there was me. I was debating on joining a Suna Chunin and talk, but they looked like they were interested in their friends, not us. Although after a few moments a couple guys, similar to Chouji and Kankuro's style approached them with peaceful intentions, and they started drinking and talking. A boy, who must have been the class clown, was imitating Naruto. And doing a way better job and getting to the roof than Naruto, which drove Naruto insane.

Maybe these two villages would be peaceful after all.

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ohohoho.  
The party has started. n___n  
Hooray. I'll try to speed shit up in the next chapter~  
This one was kinda. Dull. I guess. u__u  
Oh and. I'm sorry if some of this is... hard to understand. I'm making this up as I go, so I have to go back and change little things.

REVIEW. c:


	3. Interest

Hooray.  
Chapter 3 now.  
And it sucks for all of you guys because I actually have nine Chapters done and ready. :D  
I'm just mean and uploading them slowly.  
But they're coming, for sure. I ain't dropping this story. n__n  
Just. I don't have an Internet connection to upload it at home.  
I have to go to my friends.  
Because at the library, it's blocked!  
For _sexual_ reasons.  
oh. i wonder why.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

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I was pretty positive Ino was going to find someone's pants to get into by the end of the night, and after about thirty minutes of wandering around, sitting at the bar and only drinking about half a glass of the lightest sake here, I found myself wanting to leave. Not permanently, but, for some fresh air. The room was getting increasingly hot and I could feel myself sweating.

I'd already shoved off a couple drunken Suna Chunin, and then they went prowling after someone else. Naruto, I'm sure who was past tipsy, kept staring at me, and the looks were beginning to be too much. I wanted out.

I went for the nearest exist and climbed up the stairs, which led me to a balcony. In the corner was a couple tangled up in each other, making sucking noises and eating each other's faces off. I grabbed onto the edge of the roof and flipped myself onto the edge, wasting no time to get away from the embarrassing couple. Catching my balance before tumbling right back off and down a thirty feet drop, I walked all the way to the top, but not to the other side. Sitting, I looked up at the cloudless night sky, watching the stars twinkle and shine.

I ended up leaning back against the roof, my arms acting as a pillow underneath my head. The night was slightly chilly, but it didn't bother me that much. I didn't mind the cold compared to the heat, I usually slept with my window open anyways. There was no breeze in the air, which was perfect. I hated the wind.

There was going to be a lot of drama when I got back to the Hotel, I knew that for sure. I was very thankful that it was on the corner of town and a very personal Hotel, otherwise some Suna residents would get very angry at the fact that twelve Leaf Village Ninjas were running amongst the town with their drunken drama. I'm not sure if everyone drank or not, but even if it was half of us who drank, it was still enough. Then there were the Sand Chunin, too...

I heaved a groan, and bent one of my legs.

It looked liked Temari was getting jealous of Ino's prowling on Shikamaru, so I'm pretty sure Ino would come trying to find me to vent. And cry, like she used to do about Sasuke. And last time Naruto's Kyuubi became unstable when I kept turning him down to dance, and I had to find some desperate way to stop him. I ended up seducing him and knocking him unconscious, Hinata coming in only seconds later to see him on the floor of my living room. It was a sad sight, seeing the pain on her face, knowing he was still not over me. I wasn't going to lie to her, and I ended up telling her all that happened. She ended up staying the night, and after that she trusted me. No one knew of that time except for her and I, he woke up thinking he got in a fight.

Hopefully Hinata was strong enough to handle tonight, and maybe he'd just invite her over for the night and forget me. Hopefully. I wasn't taking my chances though, and I needed to figure out what to do otherwise I'd have to go home and take a risk, and I didn't feel like wearing these clothes instead of pajamas. A nightgown would be stupid to wear, but I guess I'd just take my chances if I stayed, because I sure as hell wasn't wearing these to bed.

These were the consequences of growing up, I guess. The kids you grew up with were fucking each other, or trying to fuck you. I trust all my friends, they're amazing; but they all get unstable in some way when they're drunk, and who knows would could happen. I still don't know how everyone acts in their drunken state.

I kept my sights on the sky, biting my cheek and sighing an uncountable amount of times, my mind buried in thought, questions-

"Haruno." I heard a voice snap from behind me, and I flinched in my spot. Man, I need to stop day dreaming.

Leaning up lazily from my position, I turned to see who it was.

The Kanji on the top of his forehead was enough for me to tell, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully it was someone with no alcohol in their system at all. Luck was really starting to like me these days, for some reason.

"I know, I know. Why am I not at the party?" I guessed, standing and walking over to where he was at. He was standing on the other side of the roof where it was impossible to see anyone from the other side. That is, if you're sitting or laying down.

"Hn." he said with a nod, sitting down at the spot he'd been standing. I sat in front of him, cross legged, picking at my fingers in my lap.

"Everyone's going to get drunk and create a bunch of drama I don't need right now. My girl friends are either going to come crying to me about some boy, or the guy friends of mine are going to try and get me in bed." my words poured out of my mouth before I could even stop them, and I slapped myself mentally. Gaara didn't need this shit.

I saw his forehead wrinkle, like he was furrowing his eyebrows together. I looked up.

He was going to be my new friend here for a while, I might as well bond with him when I can.

"I was watching you from the window and I can see the exits and entrances to this place. No one has left yet and created a commotion." he said, and I suddenly began to get curious as to why he was taking interest in any of this. Then, I remembered Temari mentioning something about his emotions being out of whack, and it probably had something to do with his torturous demon being gone, which was half of his personality to begin with.

Man, he must be having one hell of a time.

"Just wait for the shouting and yelling, if you sit up here for a bit longer. It doesn't take long." I muttered, my eyes still on the hands in my lap. He wasn't completely changed, because he acted the same pretty much on the outside, but I think he's trying to be friendly.

"What male friend of your's threatens you?" he asked, his stern and serious gaze reflecting his stone hard tone. The dark tone he used didn't match his concerned words at all. It confused me.

"Oh, don't worry abo-"

"I'm not." he interrupted, shifting in his spot and rising from where he was at. I glanced up to watch him, and suddenly realized. He was leaving.

"No, wait." I mumbled, watching him. His hard gaze pierced me, and I still didn't look at his eyes.

"You're the only one who's even functional around here," I tried finding the right words without making it sound weird, and I didn't succeed very well. In the end, I gave up.

"Can you stay here?"

Sabaku No Gaara stared down at me, and I didn't look back up. If he wanted to leave, he could. If he wanted to stay, he could. I wasn't pushing it any farther than this question, my nerve was too weak to continue any farther. But I didn't want to be alone. Not now. Anyone would do, really, as long as they were still able to know what the hell was going on, and Gaara was the only one around.

I wasn't afraid of him, I was nervous around him. I didn't know him that well, but he was a friend. It was really strange being around him alone.

After a long pause, and my hopes being pushed six feet underground, I was shocked to find that he sat back down in front of me, his legs crossed as his gourd scraped against the roof of the building.

When I looked back up, a wide grin was practically painted across my face, so relieved at the fact that I wouldn't have to sit up here alone. He was looking away though, at something in the distance, his expression unreadable. One thing I knew for sure was that he wasn't irritated, and I was relieved to know he wasn't. That was the last thing I wanted to be: a burden.

"Damnit, Kiba! Don't you remember the rules!? Lee gets no alcohol!" Neji was shouting furiously, Lee now in the streets of Konoha and walking around clumsily, shouting at random objects. Kiba and Neji followed him nervously, Kiba slightly intoxicated by the way he moved. And, of course, Neji was completely sober.

I smirked.

"See, I should have called that one before it even happened. Lee's the worst out of us all." I muttered, leaning over slightly to get a better look at them before they rounded the corner. I didn't even realize I'd leaned slightly closer to Gaara, even if it was barely an inch or two, but he still gave me a funny look.

"I didn't expect you to smell like roses." he suddenly said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"And I didn't expect you to stay here." I said in remark, sitting back in my spot, looking at his expression. It was painfully difficult not to look at his eyes. I put on a fake smile.

"I have to watch this building, and it's better if I'm here to listen as well, just in case I can't see something." he said simply, and my smile instantly turned into a frown.

He's making everything seem like it's for his own benefit, not for any other reason, especially if it concerned me. I knew better than that, though. He didn't want to seem soft, or like he cared. But he had to, right? Or maybe he didn't and I was just getting my hopes up.

I shifted a bit in my spot, and suddenly saw Kiba and Neji wrestle Lee out of another bar. They started leading him towards the gates of Suna, to take this trouble someplace where shit could actually be destroyed without having to worry. I shook my head.

A second later, I saw some drama between two Suna Chunin, a girl and a guy. She was crying.

Gaara took interest immediately, recognizing them obviously just by his expression. Maybe he liked the girl? I watched as well, and forced some chakra to my ears to see if I could hear better. It was so far, all I heard were mumbles and a word here and there.

Then, she ran off crying, stumbling and tripping as she went. She looked wasted, yet, he looked as if he could walk a straight line perfectly. Curiosity always got the better of me, but I wasn't leaving this spot.

"I can't sit here forever though."

Those words made me laugh instantly, and I saw a smirk raise on his lips.

"Hai. I know." I said, still laughing at such a remark, especially coming from him.

"I was going to ask Temari this, but I don't think I'll find her later tonight." I started, yawning in between the sentence before I finished it.

"Do you have an extra bedroom?"

Again with the funny looks. It was so weird seeing his emotions, I wasn't used to it yet.

"Why?"

"I don't really think it's safe being within a hundred feet of that Hotel right now." I muttered.

"You're scared?"

I felt the hair on my neck stand up, and I frowned instantly, taking his words as an insult.

I felt like punching him.

But as soon as my expression changed, he smiled again. Wider than before. It was the second time I'd seen him smile, and of course at the sight of that little smile I grinned happily. These were moments to be cherished, I probably won't be having a conversation with Gaara like this for a long ass time after tonight.

"If you consider it scared. I just won't get any sleep." I replied, watching the commotion at the gates of Suna begin to involve the guards. Gaara was taking this fairly well for some reason.

"The Hotels are extremely booked. We have Motel rooms open, though." he offered, pausing before he continued. He'd held his breath. That scared me. Everything about Gaara's attitude and attire was a bit intimidating, but for some reason he was very welcoming at the same time. I knew not to go too far. But he held his breath, which was something I did before I said something... Unique.

"You can have my bed, if you wish. I don't sleep. In fact, I use it as a guest's room, usually."

My breath caught in my throat, and I almost started coughing. I forced myself to stop staring at his face, and look at something distracting, but his words echoed in my head. Gaara- No, the Lord Kazekage Sabaku No Gaara, the man who was a mass murderer and went batshit insane the second to last time I saw him, was offering me his bed.

I wasn't even drunk and insane things were happening to me. What the hell. There's no way to escape it.

"If it's not any trouble." was all I said, and he shook his head. Then, I realized something.

"Wait, Ga- Lord Kazeka-"

"Gaara."

I paused.

"Gaara. Why can't you sleep?" I asked, trying to ignore the shouts coming again from near us.

"It's a habit not easy to break."

"Don't you get tired?"

"I don't notice it anymore."

I leaned in very slightly to look at the dark rings of insomnia around his eyes, and realized he was right. They would have left, even just a little, if he had been sleeping.

"If you want, I can get rid of those."

"And the Council would kill you for touching me." he instantly remarked.

"But who cares what the council thinks."

"They'll want you to leave."

"Lord Ka-"

"Gaara."

"Ugh." I huffed, folding my arms like a pouting kid, biting my cheek and glaring at him. He was smiling again, and I grinned back. I began switching my view back and forth between him and the fight at Suna gate, and noticed something immediately.

The guards were getting too close now, I couldn't help but get nervous.

"Your guards are going to get killed. Lee goes berserk when he's like this." I said beneath my breath, unfolding my arms and beginning to rise from my spot. Instantly I was pushed back down by an invisible force, which I recognized as sand instantly. It was only my shoulders, and for the small amount there was, it was strong. Then again, I was pretty light.

"They're clones." was all he said, and then a minute later of my constant watch, one got kicked right in the chest, and it poofed in a fury of sand. It quickly made its way back here, the cork in Gaara's gourd releasing itself to take in the sand used for the clone.

"I guess they are." I said, yawning, stretching my arms out above me.

"You're tired." he said, preparing to rise from his spot like I'd done. I didn't have any sand to stop him, though.

"I'm too worried about the others to leave."

"Do you want them to find you?" he questioned, smirking as always. I hesitated.

"Not exactly. Alright, let me drop by my hotel real quick. I'll be fast." I muttered, raising from my spot again. His eyes were on me the entire time, and I leaped up from my spot and off the roof.

The drop felt like a free fall, and I landed unharmed on the closest roof near me. After I'd selected a change of clothes from my hotel and sneaking back out, I wasn't surprised to see Sai sitting at the kitchen table, biting the end of his paintbrush. The smell wafting off him was enough to tell me he was at least a little intoxicated, and I didn't bother making conversation.

When I reached the top of the roof he was standing there, still as a statue. I walked over, quickly noticing he was still the same height as me, if not maybe a tiny bit taller.

Turning as soon as I'd gotten closer, he leaped away, and I followed quickly. His home was located close to where Temari's was, just behind the Kazekage building. I felt a little strange going to Gaara's place, to sleep in _his_ bed, but I figured it probably wouldn't matter too much.

He was my friend now.

When we walked in, the overpowering scent of cinnamon overtook me, and I almost reeled back in shock. Cinnamon? He glanced over at me, and then turn to open a window above the sink, always finding some way to make sure his gourd didn't knock everything over.

"Temari suggested I put air fresheners in my home to block out the smell of cactus." he muttered, turning to continue through the giant living room and into the hall.

"Cactus? Why would your house spell like cactus?" I asked curiously, looking at the decorated house in awe, amazed that someone like him would have a place like this. Then again, it was probably because he was Kazekage. He wouldn't live in some tiny, cobwebbed house that constantly wreaked of dust and dirt.

"I harvest them. It's... A hobby of mine." he explained, glancing over his shoulder briefly. (True fact. Naruwiki this.)

Opening the door and stepping back to let me through, I walked in.

So _this_ was Gaara's room.

It smelled nothing of cinnamon. It didn't smell like cactus, either. Instead, it smelled like... home. Like a mixture of the smell of his sheets and clothes, and I felt my spirits lift. I noticed as soon as I'd walked in it was also very hot, and I glanced at the window.

"You wouldn't mind if I had the window open while I slept, right?" I asked nervously, setting down my small armful of clothes on the bed and staring down at it. The covers were a very strong scarlet color, and the pillows matched.

"It will get cold." he pointed out, stepping back to put his hand on the handle of the door.

"I like it cold." I glanced back at him, turning to grab my dark green sleeping gown and heading for his bathroom, which had a giant sliding door for me to close.

"If you insist," he said before shutting the door behind them, his figure vanishing behind the walls as he walked out of the house. I forgot he still had things to do.

I changed fairly quickly, folding my used clothes and leaving them on the counter in his bathroom. Before I went to the bed, I opened the window and stood there for a moment to absorb the chilling air that wafted into the heated bedroom. I was leaning against the frame and stretching my legs behind me, feeling my long magenta bangs glide past my shoulders at the breeze.

It hadn't been windy earlier, I wonder why the wind has started picking up now?

And then the door opened.

"Hey Gaara, do you mind if-" Kankuro's slurred voice began, and cut off obviously when he realized I wasn't exactly what he was expecting.

I looker over my shoulder in horror.

"Haruno?! What are you doing in here?" he asked, a beat red blush forming on his cheeks, extremely visible in the hall light that poured into the room. I wasn't exactly wearing the most appropriate clothing. I wasn't sure if Gaara wanted his siblings knowing that a girl, half naked, was sleeping in his bed from Konoha.

Well. If he didn't, it was too late now.

"Gaara offered me to sleep here tonight." I groaned, not wanting to make a giant scene and destroy something in his beautiful bedroom. I held my temper down the best I could. He continued standing there, gaping, and then I suddenly got a whiff of alcohol. He was drunk.

"Kankuro, leave before I beat you senseless," I sighed, turning to help him shut the door, since it was obviously going to take him a while to even process the words I'd said.

Slamming the door after his eyes trailed down to my chest, I immediately turned for the bed, yanking the sheets back and crawling in. As always, I was on my stomach, and I reached out to embrace the nearest, most comfortable feeling pillow, snuggling into it before feeling all my muscles and nerves relax just as I did.

The mixtures of these scents were so strange, so unique. Suna, Cinnamon, home...

In the end, I fell asleep to the smell of the desert.

~***~

When I woke up, I realize I'd slept in a little. Not a lot, but more than usual. Then I realized this was my opportunity to lay in bed and do nothing all day, and so I sprawled out lazily, stretching my legs off the sides. I gave a loud yawn, my arms falling back to the bed with a loud thump, a giant and content smile plastered on my pleased expression.

When I opened my eyes to notice that I had not slept in my hotel bed that night, I felt the air escape my lungs in shock. Oh gods. Surely I didn't do anything _that _stupid last night?

I reached my hand under the covers and felt the insides of my hips, moving my joints around. Nothing was sore, not even internally. I didn't feel sick, either, so I couldn't have drank. Heaving a sigh of relief, I replayed last nights events in my mind.

And then, I laughed.

Leaping off the bed and into the bathroom, I put on the casual clothes I'd worn last night, for they were only worn about four or five hours before I'd decided to take them off. They didn't even feel used. Before I walked out the door, I saw a painting on the wall right behind his door. It wasn't exactly like a painting, but, it had lyrics written in blood red. Perhaps something of his past?

The lyrics spoke of love, and the way the sentences described it made it sound like a god.

I began to wonder how much pain he'd really been in his entire life. Surely he has the love of his family now, right? What of the citizens that lived here in Suna, they must at least like him now? He was the Kazekage, they had to respect and appreciate him, though.

I felt my eyes water. This pain was horrible, and I knew all the well what it felt like. It has an ugly, spiteful name, one I spoke of like poison.

_Rejection_.

Leaving his room quickly, I shut the door behind me and zoomed out of his house. I bolted back to my hotel to cook some food, desperate for a good meal. My stomach was exploding. When I walked in, it was completely empty, the room completely clean and each bed folded neatly. The maids had already been here, and they came early. The boys didn't make it home last night, even though Sai had been here for a little while.

This made me groan.

In the end I didn't need to stay the night at his house after all. That would have saved a lot of embarrassing talk. Then again, it was nice – really nice – to talk to Gaara last night. I still needed to thank him for allowing me to sleep at his house.

I mixed the batter for pancakes, still finding a very wide selection of food crammed in the fridge and cupboards. I made two, dripping with syrup and butter. I made a few extra before I was finished, and I rinsed my dish in the sink before going to the bathroom to wash some of the smeared make-up off my face. I did my best to keep the pink eyeliner, though.

I heard some loud footsteps pound on the stairs, and then the door flew open, slamming into the counter next to it.

Naruto suddenly came flying in the room, darting towards me and grabbing my shoulders. An expression of panic still fresh on his face, he shook me a few times, his chest heaving.

"Sakura! Where were you last night?! I was looking everywhere! I was watching you the whole night, making sure no one tried messing with you. And, then suddenly, you were gone. I drank with Hinata and brought her home with me, but then I realized when I woke up that you still weren't here!"

I blinked. His words were all so fast, mixed together like mashed potatoes and corn. I shook my head. When his works sank in, they drilled into me like a nail, and I suddenly felt extremely ashamed of myself. He wasn't watching me because he was horny, he was worried. I smiled guiltily, not even caring at this point he was still shaking my shoulders.

"I stayed at Gaara's. He invited me home."

Oh, wait. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Naruto still liked me, even if it was just a little.

His expression changed immediately. Letting go of my shoulders, I saw the look of hurt wash over his face. It reminded me of the look when I'd blushed at Neji several, several months ago. I put my face in my hand.

"I don't believe that for a second. Why would Gaara just invite you to his house?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I didn't want to go home to the hotel, everyone was going to be loud and annoying."

"Weren't you kinda prepared for that? Plus, you could have drank too, and joined us." he chuckled, flashing me a grin.

"You know just as well as I do how I get when I've had too much."

"But, basically, you're saying he just let you? He doesn't seem like he'd just go and do that," Naruto muttered, reeling towards the extra pancakes. He poured a hefty load of syrup all over the top, leaving none left for Sai.

"He didn't have a problem with me. I asked him if there was another extra bed I could stay in for the night. I guess he still doesn't sleep, so he let me sleep in his bed-"

Naruto began hacking, pounding his chest with his curled fist.

With a roll of my eyes, I swung my hand back behind me, almost as if I was about to slap someone across the face. I delivered an echoing smack to his back, his face almost flying into his pancakes at the force I'd hit him.

Coughing violently, he gripped the table in front of him.

"You slept..." he heaved in some air, and I handed him the rest of the milk in my glass. Before he continued he chugged the rest. "In his bed?"

"You know, I don't think he's ever slept in it before." I muttered, my eyes trailing to the ceiling at the sudden though. He probably hasn't.

"You slept in his bed?!"

I sighed, curling a fist.

"Hai, Naruto. He said it's the guest bed. See? Not technically his room. Now finish eating and get back to Hinata," I grumbled, waiting for him to shove the rest of the pancake in his mouth. Taking the abandoned plate and putting it in the sink, he took a minute to swallow.

"Maybe he has a thing for you." he smirked, taking a napkin and wiping his mouth. For once.

Then, I blinked. Gaara? Like me?

"Yeah, right. It's been barely two days. I don't even think he even knows how real love feels." I muttered, suddenly sad. That was a devastating thought. How could someone live without feeling love? Real, true love? Not just the love given by friends and family...

"You never know." Naruto shrugged, and was out the door before I had time to look up.

_Always on the move_, I thought to myself with a smirk.

I went into my room and put on a pair of my combat clothes. Even though this was my time of relaxing, there was really nothing to do. I wasn't the type to lounge around all day. If anything I'd play a trivia game, most likely with Shikamaru, but he was probably busy.

Training was the only thing that came to my mind.

Without giving it a second thought, I left the hotel and headed towards Gaara's office. I had to talk to him anyways.

When I got there, to my relief, there wasn't a giant line like before, and he was completely free. The guard let me in with a brief bow, and I returned it. Flowing in, the door shut behind me, and I slipped into the seat in front of his desk. Gaara glanced up from where he was sitting and quickly finished writing whatever it was on his long, trailing piece of parchment. It looked important.

The words that Naruto had said earlier suddenly flashed back in my mind.

I bit my cheek.

"Just wanted to say thanks for last night." I mumbled with a bow, glancing at something out the window to distract myself. Boy, this wasn't awkward.

"Hn." he nodded his head once, and I suddenly found myself speechless. Was that it? Fuck, think of something! Sakura!

"Oh, yeah. Uhm. You're brother walked in last night, I wasn't sure if he was supposed to know if I was there or not. I think he thought I was you." I brought up the little incident, embarrassment flooding onto my face. Gaara paused heavily, and then closed his eyes, his expression irritated.

"I'll kill him." his voice leaked venom, and I blinked. That was the Gaara I knew.

"Not literally, I hope. He didn't see too much." I muttered, laughing nervously.

"What _did_ he see?" he suddenly asked, eyes wide and expression bleak. My mouth opened to talk, but I stopped. This was becoming more than awkward. Has Gaara always been this... "Mature"?

"I was just wearing a small nightgown. Whatever that doesn't cover he saw." I shrugged. I wonder what type of mental images he was getting now. If he wasn't the Kazekage I would have punched him already.

He grunted and leaned back in his chair, turning around so I could no longer see his figure. Was he hiding from me? Maybe I should make my escape now.

"Just wanted to let you know, of course. Before I go, where are you training grounds?" I asked, raising from my seat and heading for the door. The chair didn't swivel around.

"Past the front gates on the far right." he muttered, and I leaned in to catch the last words.

"Hai. Thank you, Lord Kazekage." I said before making my retreat, going to the door and opening it.

"_Gaara_." he suddenly said, and I could hear the creak from him spinning in his chair.

I noticed his gaze, and quickly made sure to avoid eye contact before turning to flash a smile.

"Alright. Thanks, Gaara." I repeated, avoiding his eyes like always, and walking out the double doors, shutting them gently behind me. Skipping two stairs at a time, I practically jumped the entire flight of stairs.

I guess the constant correction on his name meant we were friends now. I don't see any other reason he'd tell me to call him by his first name, unless he was sick of "Lord Kazekage" all the time.

I found myself walking to the direction of the hospital, and I probably would end up walking in a few loops before I actually found it on foot. To my surprise I found it fairly quickly, which shouldn't have been a surprise at all, I forgot the building was enormous. When I walked in the lady at the counter did a double take.

"Miss Haruno!" she cried, dropping what she was doing and giving me a look of pure shock.

I blinked and stopped in mid-walk, then continued on forward towards her.

I flashed my fake smile.

"Yes?" I asked, almost tempted to ask how the hell she knew my name.

"It's an honor to have you hear, ma'am. You're very famous in this hospital, I do hope you enjoy your stay here. If you need anything, you can ask me!" she exclaimed, dragging the attention of her fellow secretary. They gaped along with her, and my expression changed to one full of embarrassment.

"Hai, thank you." I said slightly nervous, not quite used to this... _fame._ Or whatever you call it.

I walked down the hall and glanced into the bedrooms, falling into the routine I had at home. I knew it would be slightly different here, but they wouldn't mind the help.

I found out very quickly that this hospital had several more patients than Konoha had. It was almost as if they'd just gotten done battling a war, and the war involved people of all ages. It was shocking, and I immediately understood how desperate medic nin were now a days for this village, and at this moment I don't regret coming.

"S-Sakura-Sensei!" I heard a stuttering voice shout, and only one person here would say that.

I turn to beam at Hiryu, still not used to his towering height as he came thundering closer. He was wearing scrubs, but they were of a different color. He was an apprentice being trained here, I wore scrubs very similar to these when I was being tutored.

"Hello Hiryu, how are you?" I broke into conversation immediately, and he stared at me.

"I'm f-fine. There was a l-lot of commotion la-last night..." he stammered, looking around nervously as he picked at the blue gloves he wore in his hands. I instantly looked guilty.

"Hai... My friends are very rambunctious when it comes to parties. I'm sorry." I muttered, itching my cheek with one finger and laughing nervously. I was going to kill Lee.

"N-No! Don't a-apologize Sensei. I-It wasn't you-your fault."

I glanced over his shoulder at what he was doing, and it seemed like he was going through the medications at the counter, sticking on the name tags. I groaned, that was the job for slaves.

"Naming the medication bottles?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. His eyes widened, almost as if he'd just been caught, but I was sure he was just embarrassed. That wasn't a very showy job. He didn't say anything, instead he just nodded, and started walking over there when a few doctors ran by.

"I remember doing that before I was an official Medical-nin," I breathed, standing at the table he was now sitting at, watching him. "I feel your pain."

"I-It's not th-that bad, but I w-wish I could be d-doing something else." he stammered, sticking them on fairly quickly, and eventually I caught on and began helping him. He protested on me stopping, but I continued anyways.

After a little while a woman walked up with long brown hair, scrubs on that showed the rank in which she had. It was the same as mine.

"Haruno Sakura, I'm surprised they were able to get you to fill in my place." she spoke very seriously, no emotion in her voice. I saw Hiryu stand immediately, bowing as soon as she'd walked up.

"You're Hiryu's Sensei, I assume? It's nice to meet you." I raised as well, shaking her gloved hand.

"Correct. We're extremely busy here, if you can't tell, and I'm disappointed that I have to be replaced because of the hospital's high demand. I hope you do as good a job as I would training Hiryu."

Her words showed no signs of emotion, still, and I put on my usual fake smile.

"I plan too."

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my duties. I simply wanted to introduced myself at the passing." she explained and with a bow, she left, rather quickly. The way she talked was strange, and she bore a heavy accent. I couldn't tell what kind.

Hiryu, ignored through out the entire conversation even though it revolved around him sat back down silently, rushing through the stickers to put on the bottles and making sure they were straight. I continued helping him, even though the old memories were flooding back and within just a few minutes I was already sick of it.

Then suddenly, there was a loud sound of someone shouting. Both Hiryu and I turned to see what the ruckus was about. A woman, probably in her older thirties, was shouting for something outside of a room down the hall, and her acts were of desperation.

No one was answering her cries.

I lurched from my spot, almost knocking down the chair I'd been sitting in. My apprentice quickly mimicked me, almost reaching the girl first.

"Ma'am! What-" I started, instantly cut off by her as she pointed in the room.

"My daughter, she stopped breathing! She's having a seizure! Please, find someone!" she cried, bolting into the room. I ran in with her, grabbing a pair of gloves from the door and mask, not bothering to find someone else. This girl had no time if she was doing what the lady said.

Unfortunately, she was right.

In the hospital bed the young girl was shaking and twitching violently, her eyes rolled into the back of her head. A gargling noise rumbled from the back of her throat, and a small, thin stream of liquid began leaking from the corner of her mouth. I grabbed her face and looked for any physical signs, scanning down until I reached her hand. Her veins were of the deepest violet, and they were spreading up her arms like a poison.

I took my fingers and forced a powerful chakra to them, concentrating on what little I could do for this girl. I pushed down on the edges of her heart, forcing whatever infection to go back to where it came from, even just slightly. Once it reached the heart, it was all over. That was the biggest thing I was taught during my training. The convulsions began to slow, and I kept one hand on her heart as I snatched a clean needle from the closest tray.

"Ma'am, what is this purple infection, do you know?"

"No, I don't. But I believe it had to do with what happened." she breathed.

"Please tell me what happened, it may help." I said, holding down the girl the best I could.

"She was bit by a rabid animal when we were traveling through the desert to Suna. Please, please help her!"

"Hiryu, hold her arm up for me. I need a sample. When you're done, get the mom out of here," I snapped, my eyes on the color of her veins.

Without hesitating he grabbed her, flipping her arm and holding it sternly so I could get a clearer view. I forced my hand to stop shaking and inserted the needle, withdrawing about half the syringe's worth before stopping to examine it. A second later, Hiryu was coaxing the woman out of the room, who was crying and staring at her daughter with a look of terror in her eyes.

I stared at the sample in the syringe, and was shocked at what had happened.

The poison-like substance was eating away at the tiny remains of her red blood, replacing it with a thick purple color. It was acting as if it was food. I didn't hesitate any longer.

I needed to get the substance out before there was no hope for her. Whatever disease this was, it was unknown to Konoha, and unknown to me. I just hoped to the gods I wasn't making a mistake.

I released a drop onto my palm, and summoned some of my strongest chakra to my command. I cut the center of her palm and instantly began drawing out any infected blood I'd dropped into my hand. This girl was going to die either from infection or blood loss, I had to try.

"Hook up some blood to her IV. She's going to need it." I muttered, the giant bubble of purple-blue infected blood growing bigger and bigger by the second. When it became too heavy for me to hold, I quickly dropped it in the sink, then didn't waste any time gathering my sharp chakra to repeat.

I continued to the procedure until all the purple had been sucked out of the arm with her IV, my right arm protecting her heart as I continued extracting all the infected blood from every other part of her body. It didn't get far, just mainly her arms; It had traveled directly to her heart from there, not wasting any time traveling to her lower torso or higher than her neck.

By the time I was halfway through the other Medical Ninja had just arrived, scowling to see someone else doing their work. Sweat began to break out on my forehead, and I started biting my cheek. The other ninja watched the procedure being done, no longer frustrated at the fact I was in their way, they were relieved to know I knew what the fuck I was doing. They recognized me.

The girl began to regain the color lost in her face, and her veins were no longer stood out against her arms.

It took a long while for me to finish. If there was the slightest drop of that purple liquid in her, this would all be a big repeat, and it was constantly growing. It took a long while to make sure it was all gone, I kept finding it random places.

When I was done fighting it and there were no signs of any other purple blood in her system, I fell back against the chair, most of my chakra drained. My chest heaved tiredly, and I could feel my fingertips shaking very slightly.

Hiryu had watched the whole time, eyes full of shock. He'd probably never seen such a procedure done before.

"Miss, that was incredible. Who are you?" one of the Medical Ninja asked, and I glanced up to see he was wearing a high ranked scrub. I took my gloves off and threw them in the trash can, along with my face mask.

"Haruno Sakura." I muttered, exhausted, tired; I was hardly interested in this discussion. My arms were taking great use of the arm rests on this chair.

"I should have looked at your headband and realized. People have been trying to come in and help people with no medical experience. They villagers have caught on, and realized," he explained, reaching over the check the girl's vital signs. "We're low on medic nin here."

I nodded as he talked. He looked ashamed to admit this news. This made sense why Hiryu wanted to be a medic nin, he wanted to help. He just didn't have anyone to train him since, the way it seemed, they were all be used at the hospital. This was bad.

I pondered an idea that came to my mind, and immediately acted on it.

"Do you mind if I came here and helped on my spare time?" I asked, still worn out from the intense, rushed procedure. The guy looked taken aback.

"That would be more than helpful, Miss Haruno!" he cried with a low bow, one of the medic nin behind him recording some the little girl's health signs on his paper as he vanished around the corner and down the hall in a frenzied rush.

The man turned around to watch his companion, and soon was out the door.

"Excuse me, I have to attend to the others." he stammered, looking worn out already.

I didn't blame him.

"I'm probably going to go and head back to my hotel. That wore me out." I breathed a laugh, and Hiryu did the same. Rising from my seat, my legs were slightly shaky, and I almost toppled over. Hiryu got up and grabbed my arm, stabilizing me.

Usually these types of straining procedures were to be expected randomly and I could usually walk away fine, since I was always prepared, but I had no warning. I had to do this very difficult task by myself, and now I knew I needed to train again.

I headed to the sink and washed my hands, checking for any of the purple blood, making sure it didn't get on me. I told Hiryu to do the same, and after double checking and re-checking again there was no blood on either of us.

I left the hospital quickly, worried I was going to pass out in the middle of Suna. When I got back to the hotel I claimed dibs over the bathroom, clogging the drain and turning on the hot water. I undressed as I did, slipping into the tub as soon as I'd put my hair up in a small bun and my clothes were all off.

After about an hour in the tub, fighting sleep the entire time and watching the light outside dim as the sun set, I got out. Ino was over, I could tell by her voice, and it sounded like she was with Sai.

I screamed at myself mentally when I realized, yet again, I didn't have any extra clean clothes brought in with me. I didn't want to run through the house in a towel again. When I peaked through the door, I was grateful that Sai and Ino were in his room and Naruto was no where to be seen. Walking quickly to my room, I slipped in and shut the door.

There was a lot of noise in the hotel that night, and while I lay in my bed I held a pillow on top of my head. I thought this was the night everyone was trying to get some sleep for the journey home? I guess they couldn't get the party mood out of them.

~***~

When I woke up, everyone was awake. Even Naruto, to my surprise. They were packing their bags, and I could tell by Sai's droopy eyes he still wasn't completely sober. They must have partied again, and for some reason I wasn't really surprised.

"I heard from Granny Tsunade you're staying here. Is that true?" Naruto said grimly, his bag slung over his shoulder and his ninja outfit on. He looked tired.

"Hai, unfortunately. I wish I could go back, I'm homesick already." I said with a frown.

Naruto shared the same bleak expression as me. Then, he held out an arm, and dragged me towards him in a friendly hug. Squeezing, I breathed in the heavy scent of spray deodorant and ramen.

"See you in a month, Sakura. We'll miss you." he muttered, releasing to take a glimpse at me before forcing himself out the door. He never liked good-byes, and they were late as it was. I didn't blame him.

Sai stepped forward, his expression curious, like if he was debating if he wanted to shake my hand or do what Naruto did. He struggled when it came to friendship, and so I decided to give him a hug. He put on his usual fake smile, hugged back, and then was out the door. I followed them down the stairs, meeting a giant group of my friends in the front, bags packed and expressions unique.

Lee was swung over Chouji's shoulder, drooling, and obviously still drunk.

I chuckled at the sight, and Ten Ten shook her head, embarrassed.

The giant group was huddled together, and I stood along the sides, trying to fit myself in with all of them. Shikamaru put down the roles again, leaving me out. When he'd finished, he glanced at me.

A few others did as well. Then, when Neji bounded off without warning, everyone else followed. Hinata waved shakily, Naruto casting me last glances.

"See you, forehead." Ino snickered before bounding off, a few of the others waving to me before following. For an insult, it was a pretty nice good-bye.

I semi followed them towards the gate, I had other plans with my morning. I was planning on training, since yesterday's events proved to me how diminished my chakra really was.

When I'd got to the gate, there was only one guard, and then I distinctively remember what the guards actually were. With a smirk I walked passed, watching my friends fade into the distance. While looking to the right to see a giant open area behind a few massive boulders, I realized how small they were. I needed bigger boulders, ones the size of massive volcanic stones. That was, if I was training physically, which I wasn't. No destroying giant boulders this time. I ran through in my new boots, feeling as if I was flying. No sand crammed between my toes, the strong breeze cooling me off at the speed I was running at.

I leaped on top of a giant boulder, sitting down in the center of it and crossing my legs. I immediately shut my eyes, letting my hands rest on my knees. I felt the heat from the rock sting my legs, but I immediately ignored it, letting myself fall into the trance I'd gotten so used to over the years.

Meditation. One of the best ways to train my chakra.

It wasn't something I always did, but I hadn't in a while, and I could feel the strength of my chakra diminish slightly over the past months. I wasn't performing up to my full potential and I know I would have to now that I was here.

Silence overtook me, and the only thing I heard was the faint thumping of my heartbeat. My mind began to reject reality slightly, even though I was more than aware of the danger of my surroundings. I suddenly felt the line of my chakra pump faster, become thicker. Stronger. I sat there for several minutes, concentrating on the focus points of my chakra.

I had excellent chakra control. I was able to move it, will it, manipulate to my will without barely wasting any in the process. I could shatter anything to pieces easily, it came naturally now. I no longer had to pause and gather the chakra, unless it was for something huge.

I took a deep breath, releasing it very heavily a noisily.

The next second, a dangerous threat came flying towards me, and with another gathered chakra to create a couple shielding layers of protection, I threw my hand out to divert it.

My eyes were welcomed by the piercing light of the sun, and I found it better to fight with them closed. I was foolish, meditating on the dim outskirts of Suna, especially alone.

I cursed myself silently. The texture eventually touched me, feeling hard and grainy, like dirty clay. Eventually I dodged enough for it to back off, almost like it was giving up, and when I saw the light of the sun dim, I opened my eyes briefly.

Immediately, I met a giant wall of tan clay.

My eyes widened immediately. Leaping up from my spot on the boulder, the large wall was directly in front of me, formed from the ground. I quirked a brow, and leaping backwards and away from it. Was this a joke?

My back hit it with a heavy thud, and I scowled. More walls were appearing around me, forming some type of strange maze. Crouching down, I kicked off from the ground with enough force to send me flying, and the threatening clay came flying after me.

It snatched my leg and threw me back down, and the impact into the sandy ground made me cry out faintly. I spat blood out of my mouth angrily, and pounced to my feet. I began racing along the maze, and met a dead end almost instantly. I re-traced my steps and continued, starting to actually get somewhere.

Until, again, I met a dead end.

_One more,_ I thought to myself. _One more try, or else I'm going to get really pissed._

I stormed through the maze, and after a long and almost endless run, I finally reached the end. I could see the desert, and immediately I made a run for it.

Until, more giant streams of clay came shooting out in front of me, forming several more walls to test my patience. Instead, my patience was run dry.

With an irritated shout, I punched through the wall, shattering it into dust.

I smiled widely.

I pounded through more walls, quickly, furiously, until they crumbled to my will and my own path was made. I plowed through them headed all in one direction; North, exactly where Suna was. I could tell by the sun's direction.

I saw the walls behind me begin to vanish, and the ones I was punching through were getting a little harder. My chakra was barely even being used, and I was mainly reusing the same chakra every time I hit the wall. Now I noticed I needed more.

I hit harder, crumbling the walls at the same pace, but it required more strength. The faster I went through, the faster I'd get out, right?

I pumped as much extra chakra as I could to my feet, dividing them in half. I ran faster, practically leaping, slamming my fist into the texture until I could feel my knuckles begin to bleed and break. I was practically heaving my body into the walls as I went.

Then, I felt my fingers begin to snap. I didn't have enough time to heal, and instead I switched the chakra over to my other healthy fist in a quick split second. I continued until I thought the walls were turning into metal, my body becoming exhausted from the intense repeated action.

And then, unexpectedly, I had punched the last wall. The next moment I realized I had collided right into my predator, crashing into the ground with a hard thud. My chest heaved, and at the moment I didn't even care who it was. Some Suna kid playing a joke, or some bandit ninja. Regardless, I was practically exhausted. I wouldn't need to hit something for a while.

With a smirk, I opened my eyes to look down at my attacker.

*****************************************

CLIFFHANGER. Ha.  
I will kill you guys if I've been making some massive, huge mistake this whole time and no one said anything. D:  
Like uh. It's Subaku no Gaara instead of Sabaku. Or something like that.  
butnoseriously  
If I am, let me know. xD

revieeeew. n__n


	4. Torture

Unfortunately this one is a little short.  
Just a little.  
But it's getting interesting right.  
Right?!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

*****************************************

I about screamed when I saw who it was.

Emerald eyes met the brightest of aqua teal, rimmed by the heaviest black. I knew exactly who they belonged to, and my few days of desperately trying to avoid these eyes were all for nothing now.

My fist clenched against the sand, and I felt my stomach do a flip. Gaara was holding himself up on his hands, his face barely six inches from mine. His gourd was on the ground beside him, uncorked and spewing wet sand.

_Wet sand. Not clay._ I thought dreadfully. It was stronger, more compact than just dry sand. He was probably testing me. Or, testing the sand.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" I started, and he inched away from me, his expression holding a look of shock, which surprised me. I sat up so I balanced myself on my toes, my knees bent. I was still breathing heavily, some of the wet sand that was stuck to me being pulled away at Gaara's command.

My face fell into my left hand, my right one hanging limp off my knee.

I didn't care about anything right now other than shoving the sight of his eyes out of my mind. The reflection they gave me was almost unbearable, and I told myself a long time ago I wouldn't fret over this anymore. It was all pointless now.

The blood dripped from my torn skin and onto the sand, possibly creating a pool of blood if I left it there long enough. The pain throbbed up my arm and to my heart, kicking adrenaline through my system. Gaara was still sitting, staring at me, gathering what sand he'd been using into the gourd and letting the rest that didn't fit lay on the ground. He must have mastered the element water.

He was watching my fist, and I watched his actions through the pink hair that fell in front of my face. He rose from his spot, which had been just a foot in front of me, grabbing his gourd and reconnecting it to the back of his clothes. No longer how much time went by, I was still breathing heavily. I ground my teeth together furiously, losing the battle I was fighting in my mind.

Without looking, I poured my chakra into my hand and healed the bones back together. I put no effort into it being painless, and they snapped sickeningly back into place. The tissue healed itself, the blood that had just been leaking from my wounds now dried on the fresh new layer of skin.

I opened my mouth to apologize again, but failed, and I just shook my head.

I was disgusted at this weakness. Disgusted at this feeling.

Disgusted in _myself._

Rising quickly, I began fighting the fury that rose from my stomach, the water pooling in my eyes threatening to overflow. I didn't even look at him, not even a glance. I walked past him.

My hands were clenched, and I probably looked like some child who lost a game.

For some reason, I didn't get far, and the hand on my arm told me why.

"Why are you running?" his voice breathed, a little shakier than usual.

Those words pierced me. Hard. I bit my cheek again, tasting the blood in my mouth. I didn't answer him, instead I shrugged my arm out of his grip, and it took another quick jerk to get it to actually work.

Why he had been here and trapping me in those sandy walls, I didn't know.

What I _did_ know was this feeling inside me was getting out of control.

"I'll talk to you in a bit, Gaara. I'm not feeling too well." I mustered out, frustrated, forcing back the sobs that threatened to tear through my throat. I could feel the trembling begin. These were the same feelings I felt with Sasuke. They were the only feelings that truly tortured me, and the memories were flooding back now. Along with the images. All of them.

Every last _fucking _one.

The pieces I had picked up and put back together were threatening to fall back apart again.

I couldn't take anymore. I shoved chakra to my feet and launched myself to the gates of Suna before Gaara could attempt to grab at me again. Rushing through them, I noticed there were two guards now, both watching my intensely. I struggled to hide the pain on my expression, a traitorous tear already broken free from its prison.

I practically flew to the hotel, storming up the stairs and slamming the door shut behind me. Lurching to my room I shut and locked it behind me. I turned to sit at the end of my bed, burying my forehead into my hands, gripped my pink bangs and growling.

The growling began to turn into high pitched sobs, and I felt my entire form shake violently.

_Three days,_ I thought miserably, slamming my fist down on my hip._ It took only three days to fall apart again. How the hell was it this easy to break?_

Tears began falling freely now, and I was grateful no one was around. I keeled over, feeling sick to my stomach, burying myself in my guilt. I felt like my insides were turned inside-out.

The fact I dreaded most was the fact I was stuck here another month. He would be everywhere. Everything would remind me of him, you couldn't walk outside without stepping in sand. And the worst part was fighting this feeling, which took me three years to fight with Sasuke.

I would have to avoid him. I had no choice. I would just complete this damned mission and go home. That would be it.

I felt the tears warm at first, but they turned cold after a while. Then, they dried.

Sasuke's painful image repeated itself in my mind, mixing with Gaara's until his took over completely. I just wanted to faint like Hinata could. Pass out, go unconscious. If was lucky, maybe a coma. I'd go for anything right now just to escape reality.

Then, alcohol came to mind. I fought that too, that would lure me to him. I'd tell him.

Shuddering at the thought, I looked up, heading to the door. My fingers were imprinted in them, and I groaned at the sight. I must have gripped it too tight coming in. I then wondered how rich the door seller here at Suna was.

I began cleaning up the hotel the best I could, trying to cut some slack on the maids here. Tears threatened to burst from my eyes every moment his face popped in my mind. After I was done, I'd gone to the bathroom and washed my face, getting rid of the annoying feeling of dried, sticky tears. And as soon as I'd finished, I heard someone knock at the front door. I groaned.

"Sakura? It's Temari." the voice said, and I looked at the edge of the bathroom door.

She walked in nervously, glancing around until she saw my face.

"Gaara sent me to check on you. He said you're sick. He didn't believe you, and said you were crying." she said, shutting the door behind her and letting herself in.

"What's wrong?" she asked, leaning against the counter as I walked out, arms folded.

"Just my emotions." I muttered, turning to go to the sink and wash the dishes in there. I was shocked to see they'd been done for me; I wasn't used to these maids yet.

"He thought he'd hurt you. Bad. But it didn't make sense, since you can heal yourself, and you were able to walk away fine. If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine." she explained, eying the hotel room curiously. She didn't leave.

"That's not the only reason I'm here though. I'm showing you where you'll be staying. We have a guest room at our house. Except, our house is combined. I'll explain, it's complicated." she said, guiding me to my hotel room. Probably to pack and get my things.

"Basically there's three houses, and a door in each house leads to the Kazekage's building. But there's also a hall that leads to the next house. It goes my house, Gaara's, then Kankuro's. My room connects to Gaara's, and Gaara's connects to Kankuro's. He's in the middle so he has access to both rooms. We each have a guest room in each of our houses. I'm letting you stay in mine." she said, turning to grin as I packed all my clothes in a bag. I looked up.

"Are you sure it won't be a hassle?" I asked, zipping it up and swinging it over my shoulder.

"Not at all. I will enjoy the company. I'm offering it because I figured it's better than a place here all alone." she said with a shrug, walking beside me.

"Unless you want to stay here." Temari added quickly, stopping at the door frame.

"No way, I'd love staying there with you guys. I hate feeling alone here, I only know you and Gaara. Haven't gotten to get to know Kankuro yet." I turned to smile, and she returned it, shutting the Hotel door.

We left the building and went quickly to Temari's. She was right, when we went in the building there were three doors in the far back, each one with a name over the door for the three siblings.

I flinched at Gaara's name. Temari didn't notice.

I followed her into the giant room, and she led me to the opposite end of the house, where the guest room was located near a second bathroom. Her house was all the way on the other end, passed the living room.

"I have never lived in such... Royalty in my life." I muttered, my mouth still open in awe, shocked to see such dedication put towards a house, it was beautiful. The walls were white, black and the deepest purples, painted to Temari's like and taste. I only noticed until afterwards that the house gave off a very distinct odor; Vanilla Raspberry. Strangely sweet.

"We've lived here our entire lives, always treated with respect and high honor. Except Gaara, but you already knew that. Things have changed though, now that he has permanent control in his actions. I'm sure some people are still afraid, though. I can tell."

"And he's still sensitive with love." Temari explained, turning on a hall light outside of the bedroom we were standing in.

I paused when she mentioned love. A sad expression washed over my face, and I closed my eyes. Ever since the incident this morning, the question that came to me had to be asked.

I didn't hesitate.

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend by now?" I asked, separating my clothes and putting them in different drawers. Temari sighed.

"We thought that maybe he would show some interest now that Shukaku is gone, especially since it was obvious that Shukaku was a very perverted demon. That's why I've been saying his hormones are off balance, he still acts the same, except he shows more compassion. He cares now, I learned that when he saved the village all those years back, and protected me from an attack just outside Suna, risking his life for mine.

"But he's shown nothing. _Nothing._ It's really starting to worry me, I know he's still hurting. He still doesn't understand the true meaning of love." she explained, eyes to the floor, her fingers fiddling with whatever was on her fan.

I sighed.

I thought back on the past, on how he acted during the Chunin exams. He'd lost control when Sasuke had struck through his defense, and Shukaku broke through. We chased him down and Naruto fought him. Then the time we went to Suna after hearing he'd been captured by the Akatsuki. They extracted his demon out of him, and I fought to take down Sasori. When we finally got to him it was too late; the Jutsu was complete. He was dead. Then, Chiyo revived him with her life-restoring technique, which I had offered to do instead of her.

He has people who care about him, still, and he always will. He's loved. That was something he always wanted; To be loved.

But what about _him_ loving someone else? Does he know that feeling?

"He's only felt half of it," I muttered, sitting on my bed, my hands in my lap.

I saw Temari's head nod beside me, and she looked up, her eyes boring into my face. I continued to stare at the floor, and then forced myself to look up.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll find someone. Then they'll take care of him." I said, looking up to meet her gaze, a fake grin spread wide on my face. She smiled back.

"You're right. Hey, do you want that pink eyeliner? I don't think I'll ever use it, it looked a lot better on you anyways." she said, turning for the door. I hopped off the bed.

"Sure, I was going to ask where I could get some anyways." I replied, following her.

Later that day I went to the hospital, finding Hiryu helping out with some of the Medics in the hospital. I stole him from there, dragging him towards the Suna gates. I refused to go to the training grounds, due to earlier events, so we went the opposite direction for some privacy.

It was tempting to test him in brute strength, but it was pointless, in some respects. (Okay so, I suck at these explanations and new training techniques, yada yada. Well. I'm making this up as I go, so, if it seems strange, shoot me. I'm not a professional. xD Oh and I know Sakura trained differently, she doesn't exactly have those big ass scrolls to help him train with. Yet.)

"Alright. Now, have you been taught to heal at all?" I asked, turning to look at him.

He shifted very uncomfortably in his spot.

"Nothing a-as of y-yet." he muttered, looking to the ground.

"How are you with chakra control?" I asked.

"G-good," he stuttered.

"Well it's time to train that," I grinned. I knew Hiryu had excellent chakra control, but I didn't know how much effort he'd actually put into it.

"When being a Medical Ninja it's very important to avoid getting injured. Period. Because you're used to heal others on the team and if you're hurt then there's no saving the others. You should be the last to be harmed. Although it's not a fun duty to uphold, always running and being guarded, it's required. Medic Ninjas are also required excellent chakra control, which I'm sure you have otherwise someone else would have been selected for me to train." I explained, waving my hand and pointing my finger sometimes as I talked.

"In the end you'll be able to do much more than healing little cuts and bruises. If you're skilled enough, which I'm sure you will be, you can use your chakra to pull harmful substances from one's body. And, even more, you'll learn to use the Mystical Palm Technique. I'm sure you know what that is," I continued, Hiryu paying extreme attention.

"Pay attention." I said.

I pulled a Kunai from my pocket and took off my black glove, putting the kunai to the tip of my finger, pricking it so a little bit of blood came out. I summoned chakra to my hand, healing it quickly and effortlessly.

"See? Easy. This is what you'll be trying to heal first. " I said quickly, watching him grab his Kunai, more than ready to demonstrate his abilities.

"Summon the chakra to your hand. I know you've healed before and you know how difficult it really is. Don't cut yourself, come here."

Hiryu walked forward, hesitantly, and he fought from staring at me as he got closer. I held out my hand so my palm was facing up, and pricked myself again, on my pinky.

"Now, show me what you can do." I said, holding my palm forward. With a quick summon of chakra to his hand, he held it over mine, an unhidden blush running across his face. He ignored it. It took several seconds before I felt anything happen to my finger, and he concentrated hard on repairing the skin cells and piecing the wound back together. In about thirty seconds it was healed fully, and he looked up when he was done.

"Good work, Hiryu. Now, lets see how you do with this," I breathed, almost worried he would leave a massive scar on the top of my finger. If healed wrong a giant scar would appear, and they weren't easy to fix. I cut myself on my palm, not too deep, not too long. Like a mean cat scratch.

Again, he put his hands over mine, and summoned chakra to both his hands this time, concentrating until I thought he'd pass out. Healing was not any easy thing to learn, but once you'd mastered it, be damned proud you did. Not many people can.

He struggled with the cut on my hand this time, healing at his own pace. Then when he began getting somewhere, I caught on to a flaw.

"Stop." I snapped, and he flinched. I bit my tongue, I was acting like Tsunade.

"Here, you're healing little parts first. Which, is fine if you can't do it the right way yet, but you're supposed to heal the blood cells first, the tissue, the first layer of skin and the next layer after that, etc. Know what I'm saying?" I said, running my hand over the wound to heal it quickly, cutting myself again and letting him continue.

With a gulp and nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead, he tried again, and he struggled at doing it how I told him. It took a lot longer, but eventually he got it after a few straining minutes.

After about an hour of strenuous healing, we were interrupted, and Hiryu was exhausted. A few young boys of his age had been training near us, and finally stopped to take interest in us. I wish they hadn't, I knew instantly their type of personality as soon as they got close. Bullies.

Strangely, they were about fourteen years of age, although Hiryu was fifteen.

"Hiryu, what are you doing out here? Hiding?" one snickered, sweat beats glimmering on his forehead, his black hair in his green eyes. I hid my anger easily.

Hiryu said nothing, ignoring him, concentrating on the wound on my palm.

"Are you healing a paper cut?" he scoffed, laughing loudly. "You quit the team for this?"

"I quit it for the hospital." he said smoothly, confidently. With bravery. I turned to look at him.

"And who's this? You girlfriend?"

I stepped in at this point.

"I'm Haruno Sakura, Medical Ninja from the leaf village. You will speak to me with respect, or I will make you." I scowled, stepping away from Hiryu at this point and to the boy near us, no longer caring of the tiny would on my hand. I'd been planning on doing other things than heal scratches, but it had to wait.

The other boy near him instantly backed down, and it was obvious in his feared expression. He had burnt orange hair. The boy with black hair hesitated, and he ground his teeth together angrily.

"I don't have to, you're not from my village! You shouldn't be here!" he snapped.

"I was ordered by your Kazekage. Should or not, I am, and you will have some manners otherwise I'll have this situation brought up to him." I threatened, my face serious and uptight. I thought of me going to Gaara and telling him, and instantly regretted threatening him. I did not want to see Gaara right now. I never wanted to go near him again.

I put my glove back on my right fist.

"You don't even look strong. If you're a Medical Ninja, you don't have any other strength, right? Just like Hiryu here, that's why he quit. If we stop you, then you won't go to the Kazekage." he said with a smirk, and Hiryu instantly stepped forward, throwing his arm in front of me.

"Back off, Shinaru. You won't get anywhere with this." he snapped, fury dripping from his voice as he did. I stared at him. He was protecting me.

"Yes I will. You're weak, just like she is!" he snapped, taking a step forward.

_Weak?_ I thought to myself darkly, and my eyebrows furrowed together.

"Boy, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into. Hiryu, get back."

Fury pooled from inside me, strengthening my chakra, which I summoned to my curled fist. I hurled it towards the ground with as much force as I could, only trying to scare the guy, if a fight broke out afterwards, he would be foolish. I gathered the chakra from the deepest pits of my body and shoved it all into the hand that was held out in front of me. Leaking from it was a heavy blue aura, too much chakra gathered into too small of a holder for it to be contained. When my fist met with the hard, sandy terrain below me, I heard, and felt, an earth shaking crack.

A huge portion of upturned earth went hurling into the air, causing both the ninja to jolt back cautiously, creating a crater where I was standing. A giant jagged line shot through the ground between us, breaking apart like an earthquake, upturning the earth and tremoring it so hard that several trees near us fell in the process. So much earth was upturned that sand fluttered in the air, and I couldn't help but smirk. It felt good to finally do that.

Lifting back up, I examined my broken knuckles, flinching at the pain it caused. Enough chakra held in that hand, I healed it fairly quickly before they noticed, stopping to take a good view of the scene before me.

They stared at me in awe, and I stood unswayed, my fists curled still.

Then, I began laughing when I saw that the orange haired boy had leaped back. Far.

"And none of my chakra was waisted at that," I snickered, lifting up my hand to turn my wrist, hearing a satisfying crack as I did.

A look of regret flashed on the Shinaru's face, and he stood up straight. I folded my arms.

"I'm a trained Ninja of Konoha. They didn't send some wimpy little girl to train Hiryu here, they sent the highest ranked Medical Ninja. I'd hate to see me take you two back unconscious." I smirked, watching the orange boy tremble. The black haired boy looked furious, but, also afraid.

"You don't scare me!" he snapped, grabbing a ninja star from his pouch and launching it at me. I lifted my hand to catch it, but a sharp blade darted out before me, directing it back towards him.

Hiryu was the bearer of the blade, and his expression was a mixture between anger and fear.

"I forgot, you're a defensive ninja, not an attacker." he snarled at him, sweat dripping down his face as he struggled on his feet.

"Leave. You can't possibly think of taking us on alone, especially after your hefty training." I demanded, glowering at them, Hiryu lowering his blade to his side. I'd never seen it before now.

Shinaru scowled, debating on staying due to his rage or leaving to save his skin, which was the wiser choice. Suddenly, when I thought he would turn and leave, he vanished, appearing before me with lightening speed, his fist hurling towards me. I couldn't help but admit, though, he was fast.

I grabbed him, throwing him to the ground and dislocating his shoulder to distract him in pain. I took my opportunity and rammed my elbow into the back of his head. This threw him into unconsciousness instantly.

I held him gently, lowering him to the ground, and with a quick snap I connected his shoulder back into his socket. Fast reflexes were a must with ninja, and I trained myself strenuously to get good at dodging fast moves.

This was because of Sasuke. I wanted to be prepared again in case I had to fight him.

I heaved Shinaru over my shoulder, Hiryu's eyes on my face. I only realized now that his stuttering had vanished during the fight, and I knew too well that wasn't the end of it. It was probably only when he wasn't in danger. He had to be brave.

"Come on, Hiryu. I'll take him to the Kazekage." I groaned, and he gave me a concerned look.

We ran back to Suna, the orange haired kid had already vanished before we left. We went through the gates, and I did my best to avoid the strange looks they gave me. Gaara would have already known. I didn't want to go up there.

"H-How di-did... I didn't kn-know you w-were that strong." Hiryu suddenly said, catching me off guard. I couldn't help but smile a little at the hidden praise.

"I was trained by the Hokage. She's... extremely powerful." I laughed, and before I got too far in Suna, I avoided the Kazekage building quickly. Instead I ran towards the hospital, the boy still over my shoulder. The fairly _large_ boy.

When we walked in, a few strange glares were passed our way, and I held him in my arms instead of over my shoulder as we got closer. The nurse stood up, worrying caressing her face.

"Miss Haruno-"

"Don't worry, ma'am. He's not injured, I took care of him. There was a fight in the training field and I had to settle it before it got out of hand. He's only unconscious." I said before anything else could be brought up. She bowed slightly, and I turned to set him in a chair not too far from the desk.

"He might cause a ruckus when he wakes. He wasn't too happy with me, for whatever reason."

The lady raised and eyebrow and simply nodded, her gaze shifting to the boy.

"Hiryu, I think today was enough training. I'll come get you again tomorrow here at the hospital, until then, I suggest you try and find any medical scrolls to train with until then." I said, turning to smile up at him.

"H-Hai, Sakura-Sensei!" he stammered, grinning.

I left the hospital then, struggling with the fact I was again, alone. It was sunset now, and I knew I'd have to go to bed soon. I was still exhausted.

I wanted to meditate again, but I wasn't sure after what happened earlier this morning. I fought the feeling the whole day, and I felt like I was dying inside.

Why the hell did he do that anyways? Did he think he was _helping_?

I clenched my fist in anger.

I started back for Temari's place now, a thousand questions storming through my head. This was all too frustrating, I didn't want to feel this again.

_But he's you friend,_ I thought to myself angrily. I stopped with my handle on the door, scorning my selfishness. _I can't just abandon him._

I walked into the house, my eyes shut in wallowing shame. I headed straight for my room, prepared for the worst sleep of my life, and a night full of pitiful dreams.

~***~

What shocked me the most is my dream was actually about Sasuke. What was worse is he was killing me, and Gaara had taken his place right at the last and final blow, and I'd woken with a start. My heart pounded in my head, and instantly I wished Naruto was still here.

When I walked out into the kitchen I found a note on the counter, and after I'd read it I felt a groan tear from my throat, pounding my fist onto the counter. I was lucky I didn't break it.

_Sakura,_

_Eat whatever you want in the cupboards, there's not a whole lot. You and I can go shopping later if you want. I'm not that big of a cook, so I don't have much. I hope things went well for you last night. I didn't come home, I ended up staying at a friend's near here. She was having some issues._

_Before you leave drop by Gaara's office, he heard something about you getting in a fight with a boy here in Suna. He wanted to talk to you about it. See ya!_

_~Temari_

I left the note on the counter, leaning my head against the wooden frame of the cupboards above me. I was grateful that Temari liked the cold just like me, but I was definitely a little more than chilly this morning. I hurried back to my room to dress in my daily attire, shoving the thoughts of Gaara out of my mind, only stopping in the kitchen once more to eat a bowl of ramen, to my disgust.

I left the house and walked through the hall to the entrance of the bustling Kazekage building, stopping in front of the stairs that led all the way up to Gaara's office. Temari's note passed through my mind. Fear overcame me instantly, along with guilt.

_Coward,_ burst into my head almost instantly. My eyes turned to the ground, admitting defeat. And so, I prolonged the time, and fled.

I bolted out the door to be greeted by the warm sun of Suna. Instead, I only felt a dry heat. The clouds were strewn across the sky, cast over the sun like a giant blanket. I stared up, shielding my blinded eyes with my hand, shocked to see such weather here in the desert.

This was the first time for me to see Suna without a sun in the sky. It was strange.

Almost like an omen. A _sign_.

With a heavy, shaky sigh, I looked down to see my hands tremble. This was going to be torture. Pure, endless torture. I forced myself back in the building and up the stairs, slowly, but surely. I approached the lady at the office desk nervously, telling her of my business and reason. She nodded once, a smile spreading on her lips.

"He was expecting you today, go right on in. He has nothing planned for another hour." the lady announced, and I didn't move from my spot.

"Are you sure? I don't want to bother him." I made up, any excuse would do. Anything to keep me from walking in those double doors of doom.

"You aren't, dear. He's waiting for you."

The last words felt like an arrow piercing through my heart, even though I know she didn't mean those words in that type of way. I turned and heaved myself away from the desk, sauntering towards the door. I gripped the handle, shoved on a fake expression, with a fake smile and attitude, I walked in a total lie.

A different person.

When I walked in a strange, chilly breeze brushed passed, and I looked to find a window wide open near me. Gaara was standing there, not even writing. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and arms folded, his face towards the ground. I realized he looked exhausted.

My nerves went ablaze as soon as my eyes absorbed in the sight. When I was younger I wouldn't have noticed how appealing he truly was, but I did now. He turned to look up, his icy blue eyes locked with mine. My stomach did a flip, and I almost tripped. Those eyes. This _feeling_...

"Are you better?" he asked, always so serious. I forced myself to act like I would two days ago. The time when he didn't affect me and I was fine with just being friends.

"Yes. I had a spell out in that training field- which reminds me, why did you attack me anyways?" I asked the question I'd been thinking of constantly, waiting impatiently for his reply. He gave me a funny look, and it made me frown.

"Attack you? I was just playing around." he said, turning to walk towards his desk. I saw something flash on his face for a second, and I was never good at reading expressions.

"Playing around? Why?" I couldn't help but ask. Before he sat down, he opened his eyes, glancing at me. I fought the urge to look in his eyes. He hesitated before forcing himself to sit down in his giant chair.

"I don't know."

The words paralyzed me. This was a completely different Gaara. Why would he have no reason to do something? The emotions were fucking with his mind. He was being _playful._ I grinned joyfully, feeling as if I would explode.

He was trying to play with me. That was it!

"There's nothing wrong with being playful, Sabaku no Gaara." I grinned, almost like I'd burst into tears any second. Happy, wondrous tears of joy. He'd improved so much.

The feeling was a sick, bubbly one. I felt like screaming. But I wouldn't be happy for long. I remembered this feeling, and I would have to take control before I went insane like I did with Sasuke. I was happy around him, very happy. I couldn't help but admit I missed it.

When I'd said that, his eyes turned to lock with mine, and I suddenly stopped breathing, almost like I'd forgot how. I didn't look away, lost in his reflection, and the same look was the same one before, and I recognized it immediately. My joyful bubblyness disappeared instantly, and I was sad.

I did notice something else, though, while I fought my emotions.

"Doesn't explain-" he started and was forced to pause and look away, frustration growing on his expression. "Doesn't explain why. And it doesn't matter. What matters is what happened yesterday. What happened, exactly?"

Always business talk. I instantly missed the night of the party.

I opened my mouth to talk, my feelings boiling in my chest, and I fought myself from staring.

"There was a fight, but I handled it. One of the Jounin was being rude towards me and Hiryu, and I said I'd bring this up with... well, you. I hoped it'd scare him." I said, biting my lip. He didn't look at me now.

"It didn't, and he continued name calling. I demonstrated an ability of mine, which caused one of the boys to leave. I didn't want to fight them, and then Shinaru, if I remember correctly, suddenly attacked us. I countered it, and knocked him unconscious after dislocating his shoulder. It was the only way I could catch him off guard." I finished, looking to my feet.

Gaara nodded, looking back over towards me.

"I'll have a talk with him, and his Sensei. You can go."

"Before I do, do you have any medic scrolls? For Hiryu's training." I asked, raising from my spot. My mind screamed at me not to leave.

"We may in the library, you have permission to look there." he muttered, turning.

I felt myself shake, and my heart seemed like it would explode any second. I turned and forced myself to go the door, sick of this routine. I wanted to spend more time with him.

We were still friends. And I knew as soon as I left I wouldn't want to be around him again.

I digged through my mind, trying to find something to think of. Something to ask him, to prolong the moment so I wouldn't have to leave yet. Even if it was a few seconds.

"Also," his voice stopped me dead short, and I turned around quickly, relieved.

"I hope Temari doesn't bother you, she may be a bit hectic sometimes. If she is, let me know." he finished, his expression strangely bleak. That instantly vanished though, and it turned back to a serious, calm and collected look of leadership.

"Thank you... Gaara." I made sure to say his name, and he smirked from his seat.

Pushing the doors open and racing down the stairs, my emotions screamed at me, which pushed me farther and farther away from the place I felt like running back to.

My next destination was the library. The scrolls would help him a lot more than healing little cuts at a time, and I know that he would still need my help.

When I got there the scrolls were in a forbidden area of the library, but allowed to for someone like me, someone with experience. I found the scrolls, but there weren't many, only some for beginners, which would work until he needed to heal large broken bones, and different types.

I grabbed them and left, heading for the hospital, which shouldn't be far by. When I went in, I had the familiar faces bow to me and I returned them, hardly stopping. I found Hiryu there again, and he was with a girl of his age.

"Hiryu." I said when I'd stopped behind him, and he jumped up from his spot, startling the girl in front of him.

"S-Sakura-Sensei, g-good morning." he stuttered, bowing. I smiled.

"Good morning. I found some scrolls for you, and I'm going to show you how to use them." I explained, hinting for him to follow me. He took off his dirty scrubs, hung them on a hanger near the counter and followed after me.

We went to a room in the hospital where there were several shelves and not much flow of people going in and out. There was a giant metal table, and I laid out the scrolls, where he read and absorbed the knowledge it put off. Whatever questions arose, I answered. Whatever problems would rise, I fixed. Whatever he could not do, he tried and tried and tried.

For the next couple weeks, that is how things went. Hiryu got stronger and better, now able to heal a scratch with ease and properly heal a large gash.

But while Hiryu was succeeding and becoming stronger, I was becoming weaker.

Gaara would not escape my mind. Not matter how hard I fought it. Even if I would win, I would find myself – no less than ten minutes later – find myself thinking of him again. Just on instinct. When I became so angry at myself I would go out to the training field and demolish boulders in my rage, and then I'd handle in other ways if those came to fail, like meditating in the silence of my room.

I wasn't performing up to my full potential, I could feel myself withering, like a dead cherry tree in winter. I would find myself crying in my room, alone, and zone off at times I really shouldn't be. Hiryu though I was homesick, and Temari was always busy, never having time to realize how much I was truly suffering at this ridiculous feeling.

Then, it officially came to the fact this wasn't going to go away.

I decided I was going to talk to Temari.

I was going to tell her.

*****************************************

... and just because I'm getting impatient with filler shit, I skipped two weeks.  
As you can tell.  
I'm thinking with this whole... falling in love crap Sakura is going to have a slight personality change.  
Probably something similar to her with Sasuke, except not as super happy. More like the exact opposite, if you know what I mean.  
I hope this isn't massively OOC, I'm trying so hard with Gaara. It's hard to change him and give him "falling in love" emotions without screwing him up. x__x

REVIEW. D:


	5. Change

I'm listening to Eminem.  
Have you heard his new song "Beautiful?".  
Holy shit. I like him, he's okay, but this song shocked the hell out of me.  
It's absolutely _amazing.  
_If you're interested, Youtube this. :D (Beautiful [Explicit] - Eminem)

Oh yeah.  
THERE'S DRAMA IN THIS CHAPTER.  
Kekekeke~

… And I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a long time.  
I got a job in real life, so it's like, raping my free time right now. D:  
I just now got time to go to the library and do this.  
I'm also thinking about combining all the words into anti-spaced paragraphs.  
This takes a while. If it _really_ bothers you, and I get a bunch of complaints, I'll turn it back to the way it was before.  
I won't do this for a while. But, let me know what you think. o:  
Fanfiction style~

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

*****************************************

I lay on the giant purple and gold couch, studying a book I'd checked out at the library, curious on how Suna looked at Jinchurikis now that they Kazekage used to be one. I already knew that they were usually a lot wiser, and could use the demon's power to their advantage, but I wanted to see if there was anything else.

My foot rocked back and forth, this being the longest time I was able to keep Gaara out of my mind, even though I'd used something so close to him to substitute him, it hardly even count.

Oh, I was such a _cheater_.

Not long after I'd settled into the couch, Temari walked in the front door, beaten and tired, her training clothes torn and beaten from past abuse and very recent struggles. She leaned her enormous fan against the table and gave an exhausted yawn, audible through out the house.

"Whew, I'm beat!" she stretched, turning on the kitchen light I'd turned off just minutes earlier. When she walked in the kitchen, I instantly started smiling. Then there was a huge gasp, and she came flying back in the room, a grin plastered to her dirty face.

"Sakura, you're a god! I can't believe you made _this_ for dinner," she cried, turning to run right back in, her recent exhaustion now no longer affecting her, apparently. I laughed.

"You said you were craving homemade Chinese food. I though pork fried rice or sweet and sour pork would liven your taste buds." I smirked, turning a page in my book, humming a tune in my mind.

Then, something dawned on me, and my book went flying out of my hands.

"Don't you dare eat all my sweet and sour pork! I like sweet things!" I shrieked, launching myself up from my chair and over to the kitchen, where she was piling giant globs of the pork onto her plate where rice was overflowing already.

I don't see how she could eat that much.

I put the food in tupper ware containers as soon as she had her plate, shoving them in the fridge and putting the dishes in the sink. I became frustrated after a while when the maids kept doing the dishes, and now I grew unaccustomed to it, somewhat grateful that homemade chores were no longer a part of my daily schedule.

By the time I had put the food back in the fridge, Temari was done, and she announced it.

"Ahh, now that gave me the energy I needed to stay awake a couple more hours," she said under her breath, rubbing her stomach and forcing herself up from the dining room chair. It was those words that made me turn and eye her, and she put her dishes in the sink. I ran them over with water.

"Good, because I have to talk to you." I forced out the words like barbed wire, still not sure if telling her my... secret, was exactly the best idea in the world. I'd decided to anyways, regardless of the consequences. It was becoming too much to keep hidden.

The Shinobi looked up instantly, and I could tell she was extremely interested in this "talk" just by looking at her expression.

"What kind of talk?" she asked curiously, her eyes flashing. I gave a nervous laugh, grabbing her wrist and guiding her to my room.

"I'll tell you in here. It's the farthest room from Kankuro's."

"Ooh, drama." she slurred, and I couldn't help but snicker.

We mobbed to my room and she jumped on my bed, and I shut the door. Joining her, I leaned against the head frame, and she looked around the room.

"Man, this is probably the only room in the house that smells like roses. You have an interesting scent about you, Sakura." she grinned, staring at my old team seven photo, which was framed on the wall just above my dresser.

I put my hands in my lap and returned the grin, but I took a deep breath and put on my serious look again. She looked over when she heard me.

"This is a girl problem talk, if you can't tell. It's been driving me insane, and I can't keep it to myself anymore, I have to tell someone. You're the only one I can talk to about it." I muttered, fidgeting with the fingers in my lap, my voice shaky. Temari was staring at me.

These were the only times we could relax and hang out, at nights like these. And usually she was out late, since she was a night person and all, so these times were rare.

But now that this talk was actually happening, I wasn't sure what to do. I felt like running now, and I didn't know what to say. When Gaara's picture flashed through my head, I felt my courage come back in the form of exploding emotions.

I took another deep breath, trying to find the words that were scrambled up on my tongue.

"I sort of... like someone. Here in Suna. I like them a lot."

Temari raised her eyebrows, and sat up, a grin widening on her lips. She was interested.

"It's one of your brothers." I muttered, looking away, feeling the heat of embarrassment flood onto my face. She looked confused.

"Which one?" she asked, laughing very lightly. I smiled. This was the harder part.

"Gaara."

Temari's mouth opened in shock, and her expression looked shooken. Silence overtook us, and my eyes fell to the sheets, and the longer the silence lingered, the quicker I felt myself tearing up. She wasn't taking this very well, and my confidence shattered instantly.

"No... Sakura," she muttered, and I sighed.

"I'm not angry. I'm afraid, I don't know how his emotions are working right now, I'm scared he'll hurt you, or something. He used to look at love as murder." she muttered, staring at me. I looked up nervously, preparing myself for more.

"I can't just sit by anymore Temari. I've experienced this pain before, and I didn't act on it before like I should have. I want to try again." I said, looking up and shaking away the shield of hair in front of my eyes.

The Sand Shinobi stared at me, and then with a long pause, she nodded, closing her eyes.

I felt myself smile and sigh with relief.

"I'll see if I can talk to him." she said simply, taking my trembling hand.

"Don't be afraid. Us girls have to be tough in order to survive."

"Yeah, but you know better than anyone how our emotions can dominate us," I muttered, chuckling lightly. She nodded.

I fought back the feeling that exploded inside of me. I admit, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of the rejection that seemed to be behind all this. I wouldn't give up though, I had to try though. _I had to_.

Temari nodded.

"I do. Get some sleep, Sakura." she said, sliding off my bed and out of my room, shutting the door lightly behind her. I felt the compression of weight get lifted off my shoulders as soon as she left, and I turned off the lamp beside my bed, sliding under my sheets and feeling the familiar cold, wet tears slide down the sides of my face.

I didn't bother wiping them away.

~***~

The next day, the weather was extremely humid, to my surprise. The clouds hid the sun in the sky, every now and then the bright sun would peak out and shine light down on the lovely village of Sunakagure. I found myself missing home a lot, but I was becoming used to this place. I would probably be here for a while, but in two days Gaara would decide officially if that was true or not.

I went to the hospital as soon as I got up, creating a small breakfast for me and Temari before we parted out ways. I went to train Hiryu, and she went to train her summons, which she had been doing a lot lately.

When I arrived at the hospital I found Hiryu had opened the fourth beginner scroll out of the five, and I grinned at his progress as soon as I walked in.

"You're moving fast. Really fast, I'm surprised." I praised, and he bowed, grinning widely.

"T-Thank you, Sakura-Sensei." he replied, his stuttering over the past couple weeks becoming a bit more controlled around me.

"Now you've finished healing minor broken bones, right? Lets see how you do on me," I said, and he looked up, shocked.

"O-Oh, no, Sensei-"

_Crack._

I'd taken my finger and broken it. I admit, it hurt like hell, but I was so used to pain I could heal it if I wanted. Pain surged through my body and kicked adrenaline in my veins, and almost instantly he came towards me, his hands glowing green around my broken finger.

What I hadn't prepared myself for, or reminded myself, was how difficult it was to heal a bone without causing it to hurt. And, hell, this hurt.

I flinched violently, squirming in my spot as the bones were readjusted slowly, painfully, and I closed my eyes. Even though they weren't open I could tell he was looking at me, and I felt the procedure go by faster. He was trying his hardest, and it still wasn't enough.

Finally, when it was finished, I breathed a sigh of relief. I ran my own healing chakra over it to finish the last little bits, to perfect it, and he looked at me with eyes full of worry.

It was clear, he had expected to do better. And he didn't want to disappoint me.

"You can heal bones, Hiryu, that much is for sure. Not as good yet, but you can. That's only half the battle though. You can't go on to step four without mastering this one. You have to heal quickly, painlessly; When you're healing people on the field they're going through enough pain as it is. Keep practicing step three, you're extremely close." I said, trying my best to sugar coat his results, even though if were the real Tsunade duplicate I would have shouted at him by now. I rolled up the fourth scroll and set it by the fifth scroll, opening the third and setting it out beside him.

It summoned the dummy like it usually did, and he sighed.

"Don't give up." I said enthusiastically, slamming my fist on the table in encouragement. Hiryu gave me a shaky smile, and continued what he'd been doing the past few days.

I left the room and attended to the hospital for the rest of the day. I helped perform a surgery and a few simple nurse jobs as I did, but my offered help was always taken. This hospital was always bustling with urgency, and I usually paid attention to the patients that were in the worst condition, or were almost ready to leave.

Getting people out of that hospital was important. Making sure the bad ones survived was the most important, too.

When it hit little before sundown, I left, hanging my new scrubs on the hanger. When I looked at the reflection, I noticed the bags under my eyes were returning. I healed them, which sapped a bit of my chakra. Time worn infections, like wrinkles or scars, were harder to get rid of.

When I reached the exit I was shocked to see what I saw outside.

Rain.

An endless, pouring amount of rain, crashing down like a mighty fist. I hesitated on walking outside for a minute, but then I realized how relaxing this rain would actually feel. So then, I burst out of the doors, out into the street like a child who'd just seen it for the first time. I was pretty sure I wasn't the only one.

Everything was a bit slippery, and I debated on leaping across the roofs. I kept on foot, racing back to me and Temari's place, feeling my clothes stick to my skin. When I got in, Temari was already there, some of her items strewn across the kitchen table, like a few drenched scrolls and notes.

"Hey, Sakura. I'm doing laundry," she smiled, dressed in some of her casual clothes. Her hair, for the second time I'd seen it, was out of her four pony tails, and down so it met halfway down her back. I gave her a questioning look.

"What are you so relaxed for? What if you get called to the office?"

"When it rains there's not much people can do. It's too dangerous, and it's when it _starts_ raining that you can relax the most. When it doesn't stop... it could cause a flood, or perhaps some weather mishaps, if you catch my drift." she laughed.

"Basically if this continues until the middle of tomorrow, be prepared for anything."

With that last note, I went to my room to change, peeling off my wet clothing and setting it on the floor. I put on my casual clothes as well, which was the same as I'd worn the night of the celebration party when my Konoha classmates were still here.

When I walked back out I had my wet clothes in hand, and as soon as I got to the washer I dropped them in messily, squeezing them in forcefully. I hated wet clothes. There was enough room in the massive washer for more, and I went back to my room to collect some more. After they'd been dropped in the washer, I sat down at the kitchen table, my legs crossed.

Instantly, I noticed some letters on the tables, and one was left out of the pile.

It was addressed to me.

Snatching it, I opened it, and read it. It was from Naruto, and inside it was some money he owed me from the times I paid for us eating at his favorite ramen restaurant. It was unlike him, but I didn't complain, I sighed in relief. I'd used all my money on the boots the first couple days I got here. Now I had enough for two pairs of those boots.

I stuffed the money in my pocket, along with the letter.

"Hey Sakura," Temari's voice called from the hall before she poked her head in.

"I ordered American Food. Pizza." she announced sheepishly, a grin spreading on her face. I stuck my tongue out, disgusted. There was way too much cheese, it made me sick to my stomach at the thought of it.

"Did you order half to be pineapple?" I asked, hope pouring from my words.

"Yes. I remembered that about you, you don't like stuff unless it's a little sweet. You and your sweet tooth, you would have never survived in my family." she snickered, vanishing behind the wall again. I couldn't help but smile.

A massive explosion echoed outside, and lurched up from my spot at the sudden noise. I recognized it as thunder, and jumped up to open the curtains in the living room. I didn't even see the light flash before.

"Wow, there's lightning? I guess it makes sense, it was pretty humid today." Temari said with a shrug, now by my side. A thought dawned in my not-so-brilliant head of mine.

"I'm going to go out on the balcony. I want to watch it." I said, and without a second though I was heading to the door.

"Hey, be back for the pizza, okay? I want to talk to you about your situation some more. I talked to Gaara." she said, eying me with a warm smile. There was something in her expression that made me want to stop and know now, but another flash of lightning caught me off guard. It was followed by another loud cracking noise, and I grinned at the beautiful sound.

"I will. Just give me some time." I said under my breath, darting out the door without any further hesitation. I saw Temari shaking her head as I went, and then I shut the door behind me.

I walked slowly up the stairs, not caring I was barefoot. The carpet felt really nice on my sore feet anyways. I had to walk through the Gaara's secretary's office to get higher, and when I did I pushed through the large black door that kept the cool, air conditioned air inside.

When I stepped out, I was surprised I wasn't alone. The surprise turned to terror when I realized who it was, and my eyes widened. Gaara was standing there, leaning against the railing, a look of comforting peace overtaking his expression before I'd walked up. I instantly felt guilty.

Turning to look at me, his expression hardened, like he put on a shield.

I debated on running back in, pretending I went in the wrong room or something.

"Am I bugging you?" I asked before I could think of any smarter way to say it, and he shook his head, looking back to the sky. I smiled.

Taking the seat that was several feet away from him, I put my feet on the wooden railing, looking up at the sky from where I sat. My feet became drenched almost immediately, and the warm air was soothing all at the same time.

I was out there for several minutes, fighting my nervous emotions around the man I was falling in love with. It killed me to admit that I was.

But still. I was.

Light flashed in the sky, and I saw the streak of lightning shoot down from the clouds in the distance, and a wide grin spread on my face. A little over a few seconds later, thunder erupted _very _audibly, and it was loud. It continued like this for several minutes until I got up, the pouring rain starting to irritate my feet, to lean against the railing. This made me a little nervous, since I was on the left side of him, no farther than three feet.

I jumped slightly when thunder rumbled again, since I didn't see the flash. I caught Gaara smirking, and I couldn't help but laugh a little. I wasn't quite used to this type of weather, it didn't happen often in Konoha. The wetness on my feet became chilled, and I felt myself shiver slightly.

"Does this happen often?" I asked, my pink bangs trailing down barely passed my shoulders. The wind picked them up for a moment, and then gently placed them back down.

"No. It hasn't thundered like this in quite a while." he answered, shifting his weight, his voice soft and deep. I noticed he wasn't wearing his gourd. I wonder how he could work sand in this weather, what if he had to? Water was heavy and sand absorbed it a little too well.

I paused to look back, and I noticed his gourd was actually against the wall. I must have missed it when I walked by.

There was another flash, except I saw the lightning streak like an upside down, growing branch across the sky, and it lasted for a few seconds, breaking off into other long jagged streaks. The thunder afterwards was long and choppy, but the sight of the lightning beforehand was breathtaking. It left me speechless until the sound was gone.

"Beautiful," I muttered under my breath, a smile stretching on my lips.

Gaara glanced at me from the corner of his eyes.

The next moment he had leaned off the railing and headed for the door. I blinked and looked at the back of his head, but turned back to the sky to ignore the sensitive feeling of abandonment that seemed to grow inside of me.

_Relax. His gourd is still here, he probably had to pee._ I thought to myself, shifting my weight onto my other leg. I felt a shiver go down my spine again, goosebumps forming on my arms. I stood there for a few minutes, shifting my weight on my opposite leg every once in a while, watching the beautiful display of nature perform in front of me. I won't enjoy this sight again for a long time after this moment, I wasn't going to waste the opportunity.

It was at that exact moment I realized something very, very strange; I was going to miss Suna, a lot, when I finally have to leave.

When Gaara returned he was silent, I was a little spooked when he walked back onto the railing. In his arms was a big, baggy black sweater. I eyed it curiously, but turned away to look at the sky. He was probably cold, but how could he be in that giant robe?

"Sakura."

The use of my first name made me freeze in my spot, and I turned to look at him, my arms folded in front of me. The black sweatshirt he had in his arms was being held out towards me, his eyes transfixed on mine. I looked back, almost in awe at the beauty of his eyes, and shakily took his coat.

"T-Thank you," I muttered, looking down, grabbing it and holding it against my chest. It was extremely warm. My hands trembled, and so did my knees. But it wasn't from the cold.

I wasn't cold at all, really.

Usually I would have said no, or told him I was fine. Instead, I just really wanted it.

"Hn." he said in response, and I couldn't help but sigh contently.

He leaned back against the railing again, and my heart hammered in my chest. I felt like screaming. Grabbing the sweatshirt, I put it on so I wouldn't insult him, and it was massively baggy against my tiny form. The smell it gave off was overpowering, just like cinnamon, the scent I smelled when I walked into his house for the very first time. I learned quickly that I loved this smell.

_What have I gotten myself into? I'm in way over my head,_ I thought, catching myself looking at Gaara at the corner of my eyes.

My heart may be throwing a party in my constricted chest, my breathing may be in hyper drive, and I might feel like I was about to faint at any second, but I was happy. Very happy.

He was a lot closer now, probably only inches apart, and the urge to inch closer was painful to resist. I turned too look back, pretending to look for something. When I did turn back, the tiny gap was barely filled, and I shivered slightly to pretend I was cold.

The next step: Leaning on him.

Which, I forced myself not to do. Not only was I not brave enough to, it was a bad idea. To be threateningly too close was one thing, to actually lean against his shoulder was another. When I had moved closer, even if it was just a little, he had looked at me at the corner of his eyes again. Always cautious. I made sure I didn't look back otherwise I'd have blown my cover.

After about ten minutes had gone by, I gasped. In response to my sudden noise, Gaara turned his head to look at me, and I was surprised at how close he was. I think he was too, because for the first time... his expression was extremely, abnormally gentle.

But he didn't back away.

"I forgot, I told Temari I was only coming up here only for a little while. She's probably waiting for me," I muttered, sitting up. He did as well.

"Do you want this back?" I asked, looking down at the giant black sweatshirt that I was wearing, doing my best to act normal.

_Friends. Keep thinking that, god damnit,_ I snapped at myself mentally. I put on a small, sweet smile of fake innocence.

Gaara shook his head, looking back to the sky as yet another lightning streak came piling through, thunder echoing only seconds after. The drumming sound of the endless rain continued.

I paused at the spot I was in, fighting with an urge that was rising in my stomach. The urge was overpowering, my emotions screamed, and this feeling... This feeling was rioting, unsatisfied. It wouldn't hurt, right? No, it would hurt. But I didn't care. I reached out very hesitantly, knowing as soon as I made any actions towards this plan I couldn't turn back. I never stopped.

I grabbed the dark red sleeve of his right arm with my hand, and before he could turn, I pushed myself up on my tip toes. I felt an area in the back of my head screaming at me to stop.

I would regret this tomorrow.

I saw his bright aqua eyes look at me, my heart racing faster at the gorgeous sight, and my own half closed eyes looked back, a look of need shining in them. Reflecting in his eyes, I wasn't sure, but it was probably curiosity, or nervousness. I leaned towards his face, very close now, and I think he recognized these actions.

"What-" he started, and an extremely vibrant red blush spread out on his gentle face.

I couldn't help but smile.

I placed a very small, but sweet, kiss on his now very heated cheek, hesitating to get a good glimpse at this picture before finally leaning back down to stand on my feet.

Gaara's lips parted very briefly, and he looked away from me slowly, his eyes moving somewhere else. He was looking down, completely shocked, and all at the same time frustrated.

I don't think he had absorbed what had just happened. And if he did, he was in shock.

"Good night, Gaara." I forced myself to say, turning to walk behind him and away, towards the door. If I could run, I would, but it would look ridiculous. Gaara didn't say anything in return, not even a grunt. I wanted to look over my shoulder at him, but I made sure I didn't. I was almost positive he was either staring at the ground, or at me. And once he thinks through what I'd done, he was going to kill me. With a quick yank of the door I walked in and shut it quickly behind me.

I _fled _down the stairs and to Temari and my house's front door, bursting in with such a dramatic entrance I was almost disappointed when no one was there to see.

My feet were cold and soaked, and I wiped them on the mat in front of the door. Temari walked out from the couch to look at me. An expression of mild curiosity was on her face.

"What are you grinning so big about?" she asked, folding her arms and leaning against the wall.

"The lightning, of course." I lied, partially. I didn't even know I was grinning.

I shivered when I walked into the Air Conditioned house, running over to the gas fire place and turning it on, sticking my feet near the glass. Temari sat on the arm of the couch and dangled her feet, dressed in her small violet nightgown.

"Gaara's sweatshirt? Sakura," she started, and I looked up to smile mischievously.

_That's right, _my inner self cheered,the feeling of his cheek still on my lips.

"What? He thought I was cold." I muttered, withdrawing my arms so they were no longer in the sleeves and they were tucked to my chest.

Temari raised an eyebrow, and then let out a heavy sigh.

"I need to tell you about what him and I were talking about earlier. I should have told you sooner." she said sourly, bouncing her feet back and forth on the side of the couch.

My proud smile faded, and I turned to look at her. She had the same expression on her face like she did before I left. Temari took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

"Like I said, I'd talked to him. I asked if he ever thought of settling down with someone. Anyone. Basically, I asked if he liked anyone. It was really awkward, being his older sister and all, but he told me." the sand Shinobi explained. I picked at my fingers nervously, the smell of cinnamon the only thing, other than him, on my mind.

Temari hesitated. I noticed this, and I looked up, fear shining in my eyes. I knew she recognized it, and a wave of pity washed on her face.

"Gaara told me he likes someone. And he's liked her for little over a year now," she continued, and didn't stop to say the next part. "He sees her everyday, apparently."

My heart stopped beating right about there.

My mouth opened, and a tiny release of breath escaped my mouth. I could taste the horror on the tip of my tongue. He was taken. And I'd... I'd...

A new wave of emotion flooded over me, and I felt it explode like a volcanic eruption inside the deepest pits of my stomach. Jealousy. Rejection. I was shocked when a wave of nausea rolled in my stomach, and I put the sleeve of his sweatshirt to my lips, fighting the sick feeling. When I closed my eyes it went away fairly quickly.

"Who... did he tell you?" I asked, my voice shaky, finding myself staring deep into her sorrow filled eyes.

"Don't be foolish, Sakura. Besides, he didn't even tell me. He started acting strange, and I think he was depressed, so I left. I would have been forced to anyways, he doesn't show people that side of him, and I know this." she explained.

I'd given him a kiss, though. Not on the lips, but, I was also being ridiculously seductive, and look where it had gotten me. I put my face in my hands, fighting the sob that threatened to tear through my throat. I grabbed a handful of my pink hair and squeezed, yanking. After a few long minutes of rocking myself, I heard Temari sigh, feeling her small hand on my shoulder.

"I know you're hurt, Sakura, but-"

"No, Temari, that's not it. I kissed him." I blurted out without thinking, staring at the fireplace in front of me. Silence met my words as I watched fire dance behind the hot glass, the flame licking up the walls and around the fake firewood. It was getting hot, but I didn't move my dried feet.

When I finally looked up, Temari had her hand to her lips, half covering them.

She looked utterly horrified.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she snapped, and I flinched.

"Just the cheek. I meant it to be casual, nothing more than that." I muttered, looking away, anger bubbling on my face. I didn't want to fight with her.

I'd lied, I had meant more than that, but I could easily hide it as what I said it was.

"You have to be careful. His emotions... He could kill you. Do you know what would happen? The war of the century! Think of your friends, they would come and kill him. Naruto, especially." she growled, concern ringing in her voice, and she shook my slightly as she talked.

I nodded to her words, relieved she wasn't really angry, just upset. In many ways.

"I know, I know. But for some weird, strange reason, I'm not that afraid of him as much as I should be. I know I should be frightened, and there are times I get a _little_ scared, but..." I muttered the words, speaking the mixed emotions in my heart, not sure exactly what I was saying.

"I trust him." I finished.

Temari looked down at me from the arm of the couch, her blue eyes reflecting the deep orange fire in the fireplace. Her thumb rubbed back and forth on my shoulder, and I took another intoxicating breath of the cinnamon on his sweatshirt.

I wasn't going to give up on him yet. I had to try, I couldn't call this quits.

Temari knew this.

"Just be careful. Who knows who this girl is." the sand Shinobi muttered, and got up.

We'd become such close friends over such a short time, it was amazing. I trusted her a lot, and it seemed like we had a stronger connection than me and Ino. I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring at the hot flames in front of me.

I held my right hand out in front of me, palm upwards. Summoning my chakra to the middle of my hand it came in a small, disfigured ball of chakra. I played with it, waisting a bit as I did, not caring much if it went unused. I pretended it was the flame, and after I got good control over it, it danced just like the flame in front of me, its light beautiful and powerful.

Such power, it would cause a power lusty person to get drunk off too much of it. I summoned it to my other hand, thinking about the Kazekage as I did, the chakra lacing through my fingers and around my hand like a snake. I always hand brilliant chakra control, but I only used it for medical uses and physical attacks. It was entertaining to play with it every once in a while.

Absorbing what chakra was left back into my body, I left to my room, taking off my clothes and tossing them into hamper in the corner of the room. I glanced at myself in the mirror, wearing nothing but Gaara's sweatshirt, my sports bra, and my black underwear.

I stared at myself a long while, debating on the idea that pondered in my mind.

I reached out to flick the light switch off, and blow out the rose scented candles that were on my dresser and nightstand. I snuck into my sheets, wearing the sweatshirt still.

~***~

I awoke when the sun started pouring into the room, in between the blinds and around the curtains. My sleepy eyes rejected it and I turned over, pulling the sheet over my head with a groan.

I forced myself up barely ten minutes later. I didn't want to take Gaara's sweatshirt off, but, in the end, I made myself. Putting on my daily Medical nin clothes and leaving his coat to lay on my bed, I realized I smelled strongly of cinnamon. Blushing only to myself, I took my rose spray and sprayed myself really quick, rushing out my door and to the bathroom. I glared at myself in the mirror, making a few strange faces in attempt to make sure I looked normal and clean. I washed my face and brushed my teeth quickly. Then, I looked down at all the make-up around the sink I was trying oh so carefully not to knock over.

The pink eyeliner was laying there, and I paused to stare at it.

I admit this, I suck at putting on make-up. But I really wanted to wear it again. Holding my breath, I grabbed it, uncapping it and bringing it to my face. I didn't put any on the bottom of my eyes like Temari did, and instead I shut my eyes to run in along the top line of my eyelid, trying to get in between the cracks of my lashes.

After messing up and struggling to find the make-up remover pads Temari had, I finally finished, satisfied with my artwork. I smiled at my reflection, turning the lights off and leaving the house, only stopping to put my large boots on and grab my library book.

I darted to the library to drop off the book and headed to the hospital to make my daily routine. Check on Hiryu, mark down his progress, train myself and possibly head back to the library to find something to study during my free time. I'd been expecting to train Hiryu a little harder like Tsunade had, but, I realized she'd been training me to toughen up physically as well. I didn't really need to do this with Hiryu, but it wouldn't hurt to have a small fight.

Then, I stopped myself. I didn't know his skills, and I was rather rusty myself. I groaned at the reminder, and walked through the open double doors of the hospital.

I walked into Hiryu's room to see him with the third scroll open, sweat beads shining on his forehead. He was working rather hard, and he looked up for a second to glance at me, and once the glowing light had disappeared from his hands he turned to bow.

I stared at him for a second, and gave him a sympathetic smile.

His chest was heaving, and he looked exhausted. Extremely exhausted. I could hear him breathing, and it looked like he hadn't rest in a few days. I walked over to him, and he loomed over me.

"Sakura-Sensei-" he started, and I put my hands on my hips.

"Damnit Hiryu, go home. You should know when to call it quits for a day." I snapped, looking up at him menacingly. He flinched at my words.

"B-But S-Sakura-Sensei, I want to g-get to the fourth s-scroll before you leave to-tomorrow." he muttered, obediently rolling up the third one and leaning it against the table. I noticed his hand were trembling rather badly. I looked over his figure, which made him turn a bit pink in the face.

Hiryu was very, very skinny, I knew this. But the past week I realized he was getting worse. Was he not eating?

"We don't know if I'm leaving tomorrow or not, but I do know this, I'm taking you out to eat. Right now. Come on," I snapped, grabbing his wrist and hauling him out of the tiny, confined room. I may be a little over a hundred pounds, barely, but he shouldn't look like he was thinner than me, especially at his height.

He protested for a minute, but as soon as I'd grabbed him he shut up immediately.

I ran around through the streets with him, looking for any appealing restaurants. They were all very nice, and each one extremely tempting to go to. They each would fill my stomach. But, they'd empty my wallet.

After driving Hiryu insane going in a few loops, I ran into one restaurant that looked perfect. An Asian buffet, and at a decent price. (Ten bucks a person in America, eat all you want. We have one here, it has amazing food. Mmm~!)

"How about here?" I asked, turning around. The expression on his face looked like he'd just died and gone to heaven, and with a rough laugh we raced inside. I paid for the both of us and we were given a seat to sit at. As soon as the waiter had left and we ordered our drinks, we jumped up, lurching towards the tables of food. I noticed him piling his tiny plate with rice, noodles and chicken. I grinned.

I'd come to the perfect place.

I stashed on my plate a mixture between Asian and Japanese foods, all sweet except for the chicken. Jello, Umeboshi, Anmitsu, and afterwards a small bowl of strawberry ice cream. I leaned on our table comfortably, stretched out with a full stomach, nibbling on the tiny spoon fulls of ice cream.

Hiryu, devouring as much as he possibly could, was full after his third plate. I grinned when he finally gave in, pushing his plate to the side and drinking down his giant glass of cold tea to dilute the spiciness that stung his tongue. I could spell it from all the way across the table; I hated curry.

"Now hopefully you'll gain about ten pounds from that meal, even though that's impossible." I snickered, the bowl of ice cream in my lap. I was doodling on the pieces of paper that was used as a mat to put our plates on.

"T-Thank you, Sensei. That was d-delicious." he breathed, slouched in his seat. One of the waitress' walked by and grabbed our plates, except I guarded my ice cream, eating every last drop I could even though my stomach threatened to explode at each bite.

"My pleasure, Hiryu. Now, I'm going to teach you to meditate after this, just in case I do leave tomorrow," I said sadly, eating my ice cream slowly. I didn't want to leave.

"I've tried m-meditating before, it's difficult." he muttered under his breath, suppressing a burp.

"After some practice it becomes fairly easy. You'll be lucky you learned it, it calms you down and strengthens your chakra. Not all medical ninja use it, but, it helps." I explained, finally wolfing down the rest of the sweetness and setting it on the edge of the table. They came with the bill, and I paid for our drinks and the tip, the food already being paid beforehand.

"Where is the quietest, most secluded place here in Suna?" I asked as he held the door open for me and we both walked out. I stretched, kicking out my feet.

"T-The training grounds." he muttered, his hands in his pockets. I flinched.

The first time I went there, I met up with Gaara meditating. The second time we were attacked. The training grounds are an evil, ominous place.

"Besides there."

"U-Um... I'm not s-"

"I know! On a tall building's roof." I exclaimed, turning to grin at him. He smiled back briefly before looking to the ground.

"It settled then, we h-" I started, and suddenly stopped dead in my tracks.

A puppet landed right in front of me, and I stared at it with wide eyes. What the hell?

It gave a loud cackling noise, and I shrieked, throwing a Kunai at it. It landed directly in its forehead, and I backed away from it. I went behind Hiryu, and I felt him laughing. _Laughing. _At me!

Suddenly, Kankuro appeared in front of us, his war paint on and his hands in front of him, controlling the puppet. He yanked the Kunai out and threw it back to me, his vein pulsing.

I gave a nervous laugh.

"Geez, Sakura, you didn't have to do that, you know I'm the only one here with puppets." he mumbled, feeling the indent in the middle of his puppet's forehead. I walked out from behind Hiryu.

"Be lucky it wasn't you," I growled, my arms folded in front of me.

"Hey, I was only playing around," he put his hands up, chuckling nervously.

I shrugged in my spot, embarrassed I have screamed at such a harmless, horrifying looking thing. Well, harmless to me. He was pretty good with them.

"Unfortunately, Hiryu, I have to steal your Sensei away from you. The Kazekage has summoned her for a little while."

My eyes widened, and I unfolded my arms.

_No, not yet,_ I thought to myself nervously, feeling my fingers begin to tremble. I hid them behind my back innocently. Kankuro stared at me.

"It's okay. See you later, S-Sensei." he stammered, turning, bowing, and racing off back to the hospital. I growled.

"You are _not_ training today, Hiryu! Go home and rest!" I ordered, and he stopped in his tracks with hesitation, and then he slouched slightly, sauntering off in another direction.

My brief smile vanished as soon as he was out of sight, and I sighed, closing my eyes.

I did not want to see him, now that I knew I'd done something unforgivable. How would that girl feel, knowing I'd done that to him?

"I need to talk to_ you_ after you're done talking to my little brother. He came and talked to me last night about something. It involves you, I'm sure of it." he glared at me, something written on his face I couldn't quite read. Guilt washed over me again.

"Alright, Kankuro." I muttered, and turned on my heel, prepared to go to the tower.

"He's not in his office. He's at his place."

"Why?" I asked, stopping dead. I _really_ didn't want to go to his house.

"I think the High Council drove him to insanity," he smirked, shrugging.

Oh, great. Gaara was insane today. Wonderful.

I turned around with a sharp nod of my head, darting to the ground area of the Kazekage's tower, heading to the back of the giant building where those three doors were at. My hand hesitated on the handle of his door, my eyes rested on the name plate placed on the wall above it. He was right behind this door, waiting for me.

I tried to force myself to open the door. I struggled, pushing to make myself, but I couldn't.

After a few long moments of arguing with myself, I realized that he could walk out any second. He would sense me, it wasn't that difficult. Us ninja were trained for that.

Instead I forced myself into Temari's, kicking off my boots by the door and lurching to my room; The only true place I felt safe right now. I was shaking so violently I could hardly stand. I couldn't face him, I was scared. _Scared._

I trusted him, but I was afraid of what he might say. I was afraid to look at his face, let alone his eyes, which I'd given up on avoiding. I didn't have that much restraint to hold myself back anymore. I growled at myself, furious at how easily I'd fallen apart again, and curled up in a ball on my bed. I felt myself sob again, and I didn't stop myself. I breathed in the sheets of my bed, smelling the fabric softener and smell of flowers.

And, cinnamon.

I looked over to see his sweatshirt, pure black, strewn out at the end of my bed. I'd never hung it up, and I still had to give it to him. I could use that as an excuse as to why I was late, but still.

It didn't defeat the fact I had to go.

I held myself tighter. I finally decided after several minutes had gone by I wasn't going. Even if he was so close, I wasn't going to him. I just couldn't.

I realize now I would have never liked him back in the day like I did now, because he was such a corrupted boy, I could have never liked someone like that. I felt heartless admitting it. But I couldn't live my life with an emotionless murderer.

But even if he still had Shukaku in him now, even if he still killed people, as long as he had these emotions and the same face, I would still try. I had fallen for him, so fucking hard.

For the first time, I was seriously, utterly disgusted at myself. I couldn't live like this, I needed to go home. I was sick of this stupid love sick feeling, knowing I'd fucked up to the point that I'd kissed a boy that was already taken. Even if it was just a tiny, worthless kiss, I'd still done it.

I gripped the sleeve of the black sweatshirt, my head buried into the blanket. It was either go home and forget about him, or suck it up and stay here for another few paralyzing months. In the end I realized I didn't want to do either. What I wanted was _him._

_Why did this have to happen to me?_ I asked myself mentally, eventually pulling the sheets over me and curling into my bed. It was hardly the afternoon.

_I'm weak again. I'd fallen apart, again. _I told myself, grinding my teeth.

I buried my face in my pillow, fighting with my inner personality for the entire night.

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You guys will love the next chapter. Maybe. Hopefully. adghajklfsakfhl  
I'm trying. Just know that I suck at making an IC Gaara. I know this now.  
MY PLAN HAS FAILED.  
WRRRYYYY.

Oh, and thank all of you that have left long reviews for me.  
Those are what keep me going. c:  
You guys are great! You made this happen! n__n

reviewplz


	6. Fight

Well, I suck at fillers.  
Sorry if this is going really fast. :c  
I'm trying! D:  
There's roughly 10-15 pages per chapter.  
So yeah. n__n

MORE DRAMA.  
YAAAY~

... oh and I uploaded the wrong chapter for chapter 5, so you guys may have gotten two alerts for that.  
LOL.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

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I'd gone right back to bed as soon as I'd gotten back from visiting Hiryu as his place. I wanted to go train him and teach him how to meditate, but instead I felt horrible. I gave him a book I'd checked out from the library last week that explained how meditation worked, and that he could practice if he wished. There were a few tricks I still had to show him.

As soon as I'd given him the book I'd headed straight back to Temari's and to my room. I was still in my clothes from earlier, and it was barely even eight o'clock. I did not want to waste the day away, but I could say I was sick. I sure as hell seemed sick, too. I ended up sleeping for another five hours, rising at one to glare at the clock.

I felt like I'd been crying for too long. My voice was hoarse, my eyes were sore, my limbs were weak and my mind had turned to liquid knowledge. I couldn't escape the fact that this was happening.

I hate reality. I hate the _truth._

_I'd fallen for Sabaku no Gaara,_ I thought to myself, clenching the pillow I'd been laying on for half the day.

I gripped the pillow I was laying on harder, wallowing in my self pity. Where was Temari when I needed her? And I still needed to go back and talk to Kankuro. I'd ditched not only his brother, but him as well yesterday. Which, I really didn't want to. His expression had looked bleak, and whatever he wanted to talk about was definitely bad.

Just when I thought shit couldn't get worse, I heard a door open and shut.

I froze in my spot, silencing my almost silent cries. I pulled the sheet over my head quickly, burying my face in the pillow in front of me. I acted on instinct, pretending I was asleep.

Whoever it was, they were walking lightly, and it was probably Temari, because they sounded like they were on the other end of the house. My eyes dropped slightly, and I realized how tired I actually was. Crying for the past hour had sapped away my strength. I closed my eyes and continued breathing in the scent of rose and cinnamon.

The footsteps got closer, and I felt my stomach flip. Then, before I could even realize they were in here, the handle on my bedroom door twisted and I heard it squeak upon opening. My breathing quickened, and I pretended I was asleep still.

I didn't feel unsafe, so it was definitely Temari, or someone I knew.

"Sakura," the deep, familiar voice muttered, and my heart stopped beating.

_No! It can't be him!_ I shrieked at myself mentally, almost blowing my cover.

There was a long pause, and then suddenly, I felt the sheet move back from on top of me. His weight sat at the end of my bed, and I could feel the new, extremely heavy weight compress around my feet, where he sat very close to. It wasn't the fact that he was heavy, it was his gourd. I could hear the unique sound of sand pulling the blankets, uncovering me still sleeping in my combat clothes. I wiped my face on the pillow, trying to rid of the tears that stained my face. I didn't want him to see me like this, weak, crippled, and ridiculously pathetic. I didn't even have the guts to face him.

It looked like I didn't have a choice. I closed my eyes, and fought my fears the best I could.

"Temari, leave." I heard him say roughly, and I heard a couple footsteps by my door.

"Gaara, let her rest," the voice that had returned was protective, dark. Demanding.

Temari was trying to protect me. What was Gaara doing?

The door suddenly slammed shut, trapping me in the room with the once-demon holder.

The sand now picked me up, gently, until I was sitting upright and beside him. I opened my eyes tiredly, still trying to fake this, looking down to the ground in false sleepiness. Which, in reality, was actually shame. My eyelashes were wet and the area under my eyes were wet as well.

I could hear rain outside again, and he must have known it was going to rain again, otherwise he wouldn't have left the office.

This was fucking embarrassing. I felt like rolling my eyes, if I weren't so afraid.

I sat up straight, but I looked away from him, my pink hair shielding my eyes. I knew he was staring at me, and I put my hands in my lap.

"Sakura, look at me." he demanded, and I flinched faintly. My lower lip trembled slightly, but he didn't see. He leaned forward to get a look at my face, but I strained my neck to turn more. I heard him release a sigh next to me, and he sat up.

Again, guilt overpowered me. Yesterday's events ran through my head, and I remembered how amazing he looked in that light, how close he was to me. This memory made it harder for me to act normal. He'd moved off the bed beside me and was standing in front of me.

Suddenly, I felt his fingers grip the bottom of my chin, and my eyes widened at his rough touch. Forcefully, he directed my head so I was facing upwards at him. I listened obediently, knowing this next moment I would shatter again.

With the most concern I'd ever seen shine in his eyes, his expression was a mixture of frustration and worry.

_Worry? No, impossible._ I growled to myself. Gaara's brightest teal eyes were staring down at mine, which made me shudder at the intensity. His red hair was messy as usual, but so damned perfect all at once. And his face, always the same amazing smoothness; I remembered how his cheek felt against my lips.

Boiling in my stomach was such a strong feeling, I felt it may explode. I have never felt it this strong in my entire life. Sasuke never did anything like this, he wouldn't ever touch me. He hated me.

I was _annoying._

At that thought, it was enough to shove another tear overboard, my already hideous colored eyes bloodshot as it was. I saw his eyes flick to the tear, watching it trail down my cheek and vanish around the bottom of my neck. He closed his eyes.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, his eyes still shut. It looked like he was thinking.

And then, before I could think of an answer, I felt his hand tremble under my chin.

_He was shaking._

"Gaara," I started, and he let go of me, his hand clenched at his side.

I stared at him. I didn't understand, what was his problem?

"Gaara-"

"Answer me. Who did this to you?" he asked, I could hear the anger rise in his throat.

I looked back up, my expression turning to one of shock. And then, irritation.

"That's not your concern." I hissed, looking back down and away again.

"It is when I have a Ninja from Konoha who won't leave her room." he muttered, folding his arms and attempting to put on a serious expression. It didn't work.

He looked really hurt, and it confused me.

"Look, I'll be fine. What did you need earlier?" I muttered, still not looking at him. He was here, I might as well figure out what he needed. I wouldn't have to see him later.

"That doesn't concern you, yet." he smirked, and I flinched in my spot.

"You didn't answer me."

"I chose not to answer."

"Then what if I said you were going home tomorrow?" he hissed. I jerked my head back, wiping the ridiculous tear off my face. Strange emotions were all over his face. He was different.

"Then I'd say you're being immature for finalizing your decision over _this_." I snapped, raising from my spot on the bed, standing up so I was in his face. He was incredibly close, and it made my blood burn in my veins.

"And so what if I am?" he snapped back, his face only inches from mine. My eyes trailed to his lips for a second, surprised at how tempting they looked.

"Then they were wrong picking you as Kazekage!" I cried, stepping away from him and to my door, attempting to open it. It wouldn't. I noticed sand on the handle.

_No one blocks my exit, _I thought to myself angrily.

Hurling my fist back, I pumped my chakra to it furiously, delivering a destructive blow to the door. Like I said, who needed doors?

It snapped off the hinges and flew down the hall, crashing into the once perfect wall at the end. I stormed through, fists clenched, walking passed Temari who had nearly dodged the flying door. I noticed afterwards that Kankuro was here, too.

Such drama, it was intoxicating.

"That doesn't escape the fact I am. Answer me." I heard him call down the hall, chasing after me. I growled. He was "calm" again.

_Go away,_ I thought irritably.

"Of course I want to stay! But I'm leaving tomorrow, remember?" I called without turning around, trying to find somewhere to go. I wanted to escape. I _needed_ to.

I found an unknown door and lurched towards it.

"Not if you tell me what the hell is up with you." he snapped, still following.

"Why the hell does it concern you so much?"

I opened the door and slammed it behind me, trying my best not to break it off its hinges. He was behind me, still, and I heard him hissing something between his siblings before the door opened and he was back.

"Why? Am I allowed to be concerned in my guests at all?"

"Oh so you are concerned!" I cried, laughing briefly.

I was in his house now, and the overwhelming smell of cinnamon erupted before me. I widened my eyes, hesitating to move any farther, and suddenly growled. I was in the middle of his living room. I remembered this place from the second night I stayed here. I didn't realize how close I really was to him at night.

The next second, he was right in front of me. My breathing hitched.

_Go away!_

"Of course I am. Now tell me." he hissed, his sand trailing after him obediently.

I stared at him again. We were fairly the same height, and it was at this moment that I realized how... Unique this conversation was. I'd changed. He'd just grown up.

"You used to never care." I muttered, looking at something on the wall.

"Stop running and tell me." was all he said, and I turned around to face away from him.

"You don't want to know why," I said under my breath.

"If you talk, I'll let you stay."

"Liar. You'd let me stay anyways," I tried, interested in what type of response he'd give in return. There was a long pause, and I felt his breath against my neck. I felt goosebumps fire down my spine, and I opened my mouth to breathe.

"True."

I grinned at the response, even though I was crying again. I ignored it.

That little word was enough to make this entire argument, this entire embarrassing moment, fade away, even if it was just for a second.

"Tell me."

"I can't." I blurted out, closing my eyes. I heard him pause behind me.

I turned to look back at him.

"Saku-"

"Don't worry about it. Just send me home." I breathed, and I stopped a brief second to stare in his eyes. To absorb his look, one last time, if I was leaving. My expression softened, and I smiled, still tearing up at the mere sight of him. He had to the most amazing person in my life so far, other than Naruto. But I seriously loved this man.

I wish I didn't.

Suddenly, his icy gaze became different, and he backed away from me.

I had an idea why. He'd realized how I was looking at him.

_God damnit, Sakura, he's taken!_ My inner self snapped at me.

Turning on my heel, I left, cussing myself out mentally. I ran down the hall and towards the door, opening it and running in. The door from my bedroom was gone, taken away probably by Temari or some maid. I would replace it later.

I rushed out of my room once I cleaned things up, running for the front door.

Kankuro was on the living room couch. He sat up as soon as he saw me.

"Follow me. Hurry before Gaara comes back in here." he said through a harsh, whispered voice.

"He's not going to-"

"Yes he will." he snapped, grabbing my wrist and yanking me to the front door. Opening it, he dragged me with him, letting go so we could speed out of the building and into the streets of Suna.

I realized how desperate Kankuro was to escape, and I quickly sped up with him. We ran as fast as we could, and he drug me to the farthest buildings of Suna until we were actually on top of a fairly big cliff not far from the village. I began to wonder why the hell he would take us this far away, it wasn't like Gaara was going to go this far, right?

_Actually, he probably would,_ I thought again, sighting heavily.

I caught my breath as we stopped there, the sun dramatically behind us. Tears still sparkled in my eyes, but they were fairly dry now.

Kankuro was several feet away from me, his palms together, forming some type of Jutsu I wasn't sure of. I watched him for a little while, eventually stopping to turn away. A giant breeze caught me, tossing my hair around.

I clutched my chest, gripping my red shirt in my fist. It felt cold.

I heard everything dull around me until everything was completely silent except for the sound of our breathing and my heartbeat. I realized he'd put up a Jutsu to keep whatever was to be spoken of inside this giant invisible bubble. This was for our ear's alone.

This must be serious.

"Haruno." Kankuro muttered, and I turned around to face him. I couldn't read his expression.

"What I'm going to tell you is extremely personal. Temari would kill me. Gaara would literally kill me," he started, speaking in a bit of a rush.

"Tell me you can keep a promise." he sighed, staring at me.

I nodded my head sharply once. He smiled.

"Then before I do, I have to explain myself. Temari told me everything that's going on. Before I go too far, let me make sure. You like Gaara, right?" he asked, and I felt my eyes widen.

"Hai," I muttered, looking to the ground.

"And you're running from him?" he asked, folding his arms. The question caught me slightly off guard, and I looked back up.

"I'm not running, I'm just avoiding him. It's... difficult to be around him." I sighed.

"How do you think that affected him?" he asked.

Now this one definitely caught me off guard. I didn't answer right away.

"Believe it or not, he cares about you, even if it's only a little."

I put myself in his place, and pondered my thoughts. I remembered every incident him and I had together, trying to look at it the best I could in his eyes. The time I'd kissed him, then the past couple days of avoiding him, and insulting his position as Kazekage.

After I while I found myself a little... depressed at how I'd been treating him. For someone who loved him, I sure treated him like shit. I sighed, frustrated.

"I get your point, Kankuro." I muttered. He nodded.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to say I'm sorry I didn't step in earlier. I wish now that I had sooner. Anyways, Temari told you yesterday that Gaara was in love with a girl, right?" Kankuro asked, and I bit my lip nervously, nodding again.

Kankuro took a deep breath, and I felt a wave of nervous emotions overtake me.

"She was right. He has been in love with a beautiful, young girl, about our age for about a year now. She had offered her life to save his, and he didn't know until we told him afterwards. Ever since then, he'd always thought of her. Constantly. Always wondering why she would have gone and risked her life for his, just for no reason. Until one day he requested a picture to keep in his office with her in it. It didn't matter what kind of picture as long as she was there.

"It took us a while before Temari and I noticed that he was falling for her, even though Gaara never talked to the girl. We were shocked. Temari and I have different opinions on this relationship, and now that she's involved herself I decided I would step in too. It's only fair. If you want to know who that girl is, you can go to Gaara's office and see a picture frame on his desk. It's a group photo, and you'll realize immediately who it is. There's only one female in the picture.

"Now, listen to me. Once you find out who she is, you're going to be shocked. You're going to be furious, and stressed out. You probably won't want to stay here in Suna. Or, maybe you will. But Temari has grown attached to you, and I'll admit it myself, I'll miss you myself if you go," he threw out the last words with a struggle, itching the back of his head. I began grinning.

"Just tell me first if you're going to look," he asked, lowering his arm.

I paused, running his words over in my mind. I wanted to know, so very badly. But I admit, I was afraid. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to know. I was almost satisfied just being here with him as his friend, the one who's brave enough to give him little kisses on the cheek and whatever. It was even better staying in the same house as him. I was happy to see him daily, happy to spend time with him and his family. But it will only last a couple more months.

But this girl... It was obviously someone I knew. Temari had said that Gaara saw her everyday, and now I know she meant that picture. He didn't literally see her everyday. Knowing this relaxed my nerves a bit, the jealousy that burned in my heart simmering a bit.

I thought through all the girls he and I knew. It could be Hinata. Even if it was Hinata, she was taken by Naruto, and Naruto would make sure of that.

Maybe even Ten Ten, she was more the type. I could never seen Ten Ten as the dating type, though. She always had guy friends and sort of stayed near the back with Neji. Then, I paused.

There was a mission a while back when Ino, Shikamaru and Lee went to Suna for a mission. I remember they had to protect the Kazekage as he made a trip to the Fire Country.

I also remember very vaguely that they'd been attacked, and Gaara was almost assassinated.

There was only one girl on that mission.

Jealousy fired in my veins again before I could make a rational decision. If he loved Ino...

"I'm not going to stand by and watch the man I'm in love with just send me home in a couple days. I _have _to know." I blurted out, and he stared at me in shock. That was the first time I'd admitted out loud I was in love with him, and Kankuro caught it.

I heard him groan, his hand raising to itch his cheek nervously.

"With your two guy's fight, he will probably send you home, but he'll also regret it. He wasn't planning on letting you go home. As soon as the letter arrived from your Hokage he signed it without hesitation, we needed help. I'll prepare for hell, though, since you actually are going to look. When are you planning on looking, exactly?" he asked, sighing abruptly.

"He's deciding if I stay in a couple days, right?" I asked, looking up to the sky in thought. Kankuro nodded, and I paused once more.

"I'll look tomorrow morning."

"That works. I'll distract him for a little bit, just keep watch, and go up there when he's gone." he said with a grin, and I held out my thumb, winking.

I was afraid to look, of course. But I had to know. I couldn't leave him.

He lifted the Jutsu and we leaped off the cliff, landing on the outskirts of Suna and running back to the center of town. As soon as we got back to the house, I hesitated, and Kankuro just continued going back in. I laced my fingers with my other hand, standing alone in front of the building. All of this was happening so fast.

Fuck being happy, I was just upset now. I forgot how much being in Love actually sucked.

I always ran from it, no matter how brave I was. I did the same shit with Sasuke, and I'm doing it again now. This was ridiculous. Tomorrow I might just leave anyways, what was the point of running anymore? I wasn't exactly gutsy or brave, but I had to go inside. I couldn't hide my fearful emotions all that well. I heaved a sigh. It was still so early...

Gathering whatever pathetic courage I had, I shoved myself into the building, forced to suffer the rest of the day awake.

~***~

I woke up early that morning, anxiety racing through me. I remembered Kankuro's words yesterday, how I'd been neglecting Gaara. I'd abandoned him. I'd practically repeated what happened when he was little, and I knew how fragile he was when it came to that. He didn't even have Shukaku in him, he didn't need some stupid girl annoying him like that.

I heaved a sigh.

This morning I had plans. I'd finally decided what I was going to say last night when I was going to bed. Today I was going to tell Gaara to do the best thing for him or the village. Even if he had to send me home, even if I had to stay here another five months, I would do it for him. No more running away, no more avoiding him constantly.

That didn't matter to me, as long as he was happy.

I washed my face in the bathroom, recognizing the bags under my eyes in the light. I struggled to heal them, and succeeded after a while. Putting my black gloves on, along with my matching boots, I rushed out of Temari's place.

I had a plan today. And this plan made my hands tremble. I was extremely nervous to find this out about Gaara, and maybe if I just left now, went back to Konoha, I'd just forget about him and my feelings would fade away.

Then again, maybe they wouldn't.

I leaned against a wall, waiting for any sign from Kankuro. Gaara has been in his office all morning, I could sense him all around me. I shuddered.

After a while of standing in the same spot, surely looking suspicious by now, I walked outside and to the streets of Suna. The rain from the past few days had allowed some of the desert plants to come out of hiding, but also ruined a few roofs in the village. There was a lot of construction.

I sat myself on a bench near the tower, giving me a view of the exit and his windows. I was slouched over, my hands facing up at the end of my knees. I stared at them, grinding my teeth as I did, and began to play wastefully with my chakra.

Seconds went by. Then, minutes. And if I wasn't losing my mind by now, I was sure almost an hour. An hour of waiting, worrying, panicking on the inside.

_Damnit Puppet Boy,_ my inner self growled, and I clenched my hand into a fist, crushing the sand in my hand. I'd filled it full of chakra, and attempted to move it like Gaara did. I don't see how that man manages, especially now that he has no help with it.

I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't look up. Kankuro was running out of the building, his expression tight, like he was concentrating. Seconds after, I saw a very quick blur of red and tan, surely the Kazekage. I felt my muscles tighten. I didn't want to go.

But I had to. This was my only chance.

As soon as they had been gone for at least a minute, I darted from my spot on that bench. Going through the open doors and launching myself up the staircase, I reached the desk of his secretary.

_His secretary, damnit,_ I growled inwardly, throwing on a fake smile as soon as I saw her.

She looked up.

"Miss Haruno! Kankuro-sama said you might be dropping by." she welcomed, grinning in her enormous chair of her's. I blinked and nodded slowly. Maybe he wasn't that stupid after all.

"Hai." I bowed slightly, my hands folded in my lap.

"He said there was something in the office for you. Go on in." she said, eying my curiously.

Do I have to? Ugh. I bowed once more before heading towards the two closed double doors that separated me from the room.

The truth was behind these doors. It's sad how I could have found out all along.

Gripping the giant handle, I opened it, shutting it behind me softly as the familiar scent of business papers wafted towards me. I know I didn't have much time, it was obvious Kankuro did this without asking Gaara, and who knows what Kankuro said to him to get him out of his office. They could be heading back right now.

My eyes fell on his desk. Sitting there was paperwork, envelopes, pens and other things. Along with those things was the picture frame, its back to me. I shook in my spot, half of me screaming to leave, the other demanding me to run forward and look.

Cautiously, I took a step, the huge room testing my courage as I got closer. Everything seemed like a movie, and this scene would be the one where I walked in slow motion, dramatic and everything.

Rounding the desk, I noticed there were two frames on the table. I knew instantly that the one I'd seen first wasn't it, for it was Temari and Kankuro standing together, obviously recent due to their clothing and style. I found myself staring at the second photo, the light from the window creating an annoying glare that forced me to bend over and see for myself. Which, unfortunately for my state, took a little more effort than I could give.

Everything on my body seemed to shake. My legs shook in my boots, my fingers trembled as I gripped the frame, my breath releasing in tiny shudders.

I didn't recognize this photo, but I recognized the people in it.

I saw Naruto instantly, his hand was punched in the air, a giant grin plastered on his face. The picture was recent, his headband was black like it was now. Next to him was Kiba, practically mirroring Naruto completely, and Lee was there too, probably the most enthusiastic out of the bunch, and probably the happiest I'd seen him in a long time. This must have been about half a year ago, when Lee had his birthday, they were surrounded around him. But that wasn't what I cared about. Where the hell was the girl?

I froze when I saw the last figure.

I knew why Lee was so enthusiastic now. It wasn't just his birthday that made him happy. I didn't notice it, she was on the side of the frame, gripped in a hold by Lee's right arm.

Her expression was familiar, irritated, but a smile held her expression together.

_It was _me.

I grabbed the picture with shaky fingers, desperate to find anything else in that photo. Any other girl, it didn't matter who. But there was only me. The only girl.

"... you'll realize immediately who it is. There's only one female in the picture."

Kankuro's words echoed in my head, and I turned to throw my hand through the back of my hair, my mouth open in horror.

"Once you find out who she is, you're going to be shocked. You're going to be furious, and stressed out. You probably won't want to stay here in Suna."

"Or, maybe you will."

I was shocked, and I was stressed out. But I wasn't furious. I was just _petrified_.

Did I want to stay here in Suna? I didn't know.

What I did know is that the man I had been in love with for the past month has liked me for over a year. Then, I remembered.

Ino wasn't the only one that had risked her life for him. I was going to give my life to resurrect him with Chiyo when we tried to save him from the Akatsuki. I didn't even realize how that could have affected him this whole time.

My hand moved to my mouth, and to my relief, my emotions shifted.

A giant grin widened on my face, and I set the picture frame back down on the desk the best I could without dropping it. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes.

This was the first time someone actually liked me that I loved back.

The weight of rejection that had pushed itself down on my heart for the past couple weeks instantly lifted, fluttering away like it was never there. The hole it had created was replaced by relief.

Thoughts zoomed through my head, paralyzing me to that spot I was standing at, right behind his desk. I glanced over to see a window open near by, and it would look too suspicious if I left out through there. Instead, I lurched towards the door, wiping the flowing tears from my eyes. I passed the lady at the desk and walked down the stairs rather hurriedly, pretending I had something in my hands.

Instinctively, I went towards the back where those three doors were, walking into Temari's at an almost run. I slammed it behind me, leaning against the door. I was still smiling.

I was alone now, and I didn't want to be. I wanted to see Gaara, I had to. I needed to.

Then I remembered he still didn't have a clue that I knew. For all he knew, we were just friends. How did he look at love now a days?

_You could do whatever you wanted, really,_ my inner spoke in third person, and I smirked.

Gaara wouldn't kill me.

I went to the bathroom and put a new layer of that pink eyeliner, brushing my messy hair. I'd hardly bothered to do anything this morning with my look. Depression had caught me like a hook and pulled me under, I must have looked horrible yesterday.

Images of Gaara flicked in my head, and I remembered the look in his eyes a few times I'd seen him. He looked concerned, very concerned, and even worried sometimes. One stood out in particular, when I'd looked at him with affection in my eyes. He'd stepped back, and I'd run.

But he still stepped back. Maybe the emotion of this feeling was too powerful for him.

Which, made sense. He'd been around the girl he liked, and I could imagine how that feeling could have exploded inside of him. I wonder what he'd been thinking yesterday when I looked at him.

I jumped at a knock at my door, which I was still leaning against. Turning around, I wiped a few tears that had silently trailed down my face, opening the door.

Kankuro stood there, his expression curious. I opened the door wider so he could come in.

"I assume you know?" he asked, looking at me.

With a grin, I nodded, and he smiled back, the curious look on his face changing to relief.

"Don't be mad with Temari. She just didn't want you to get hurt. She likes her peace," he snickered, instantly heading to the cupboards and prowling around for food. Typical.

I hadn't even thought about Temari yet. I gave him a puzzled look for a second, and then remembered that she'd tried to keep us apart. I realize she never said that he was taken, she'd just hinted it and I took the bait, assuming the rest. I couldn't blame her though, even if it was a bit frustrating.

Because, she was right; What was going to happen now? I know what I wanted, but I had to look at the facts here. I might be going home today.

"Oh, I have to talk to him, don't I?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

"That's why I came here." he said, nodding, eating whatever he had in his hand.

"Alright..." I groaned, turning to the door.

Then, something popped in my head, making me flush scarlet.

"Does he know how to be romantic, at all?" I asked, my face hot. He smirked.

"I've taught him how the past six months, he knows how the handle women, even though he never has. I'm sure it's natural," Kankuro said, and I nodded.

The temptation that boiled inside me was almost too much. I fought it back.

I shoved myself out, leaving the puppeteer in there to devour Temari's food. She would beat him for it later. I retraced my steps I did not even thirty minutes ago, my eyes to the ground the entire time, even when I moved up the stairs. I didn't even acknowledge the secretary, who was beginning to get on my nerves, as I moved into his office. I wasn't even prepared for this.

But I wasn't going to fret over it, either. I had to suck it up, and do what was best for him. That's what I'd agreed on, to do what was best for him, regardless what happened to me.

My courage almost vanished completely when the door shut behind me, Gaara's piercing gaze on me before I could look up.

_He likes you, relax, what could happen?_ I told myself mentally, and I looked up with a smile. And to my surprise, it wasn't fake.

His expression took me by surprise. It was different, more than unique. He held an emotion on his expression that was completely new. Maybe, just maybe, he couldn't hide it anymore.

"You summoned me?" I asked, walking towards the expensive desk and sitting down in one of the two chairs that were near it. His eyes never left me.

"Hn." was his only response, and he turned back to push himself away from the desk.

Gaara leaned back in his chair, his eyes never moving. They were tantalizing me. Torturing me.

And with my unsaying confidence and my almost defeated restraint, I stared back.

He took a breath.

"I haven't made a decision yet," he said, closing his eyes. I would have done anything to know what he was thinking at this exact moment. This feeling inside of me was eating me alive. Then, I realized when he opened his eyes, why he looked so different.

He actually look _broken_. Emotionally, of course, but broken all the same. Was it because of me?

Anger instantly bubbled inside of me. Anger that was directed to myself, I was furious I hadn't been here sooner. His entire life up until the past here he'd been traumatized by the people here in this village. Then, I know now, he'd actually fallen for me not long after Shukaku had been taken out of him. I was his first love.

I wanted to be here for him now. I owed him that much, at least.

"Can I help make your decision?" I asked, leaning forward. Silent, he nodded again.

I smiled.

"I want to stay here."

"I thought yesterday you told me to send you home?" he asked quickly.

"Yesterday I said that because I wanted to leave, it was best for me. Or at least I thought it was. I was wrong. I realize I was being selfish." I muttered, looking down at my hands. My knees shook.

"Wrong about going home... What changed your mind?" he asked, interested.

My knees began to shake harder. My restraint was fading. I fought to bring it back, but it wasn't working. I fought more, I couldn't break down here!

"D-Do you know what it's like to love someone?" I muttered, my eyes trailing up to see his reaction. Saying that word alone was dangerous enough. To actually tell him was worse.

At first, he blinked, and then I noticed his face harden. I looked back down.

_Damnit, Sakura!_ I hissed at myself mentally, knowing this may very well be the end of everything I had worked so hard to keep.

I stared up at him.

"Why do you ask?" he asked, his tone serious and guarded. Professional.

"For once, Gaara, will you talk to me like a friend? You don't have t-"

"_Why_ do you ask?" he asked again, putting more voice into the first word. I didn't even flinch.

Sighing heavily, I just shook my head.

"Forget I said that. Lets stay business like. Am I staying or not?" I asked, regretting on even letting that sentence slip. I didn't want to fight again, but I was furious. Why was he being so damned protective? Did he fear rejection that much to not even open up?

"Yes." he said instantly. He didn't seem to care about that, he was more interested in what I said before. I wasn't sure if I should say anything yet.

I sat up from my seat, grinding my teeth from the stress that had pulled me under like a heavy, black wave. He sat up as well, standing across from the desk. I put on a fake smile.

"I'll go tell Hiryu, then." I muttered, turning away for the door.

There was something unreadable in his eyes now as he stood a few feet away from me. Why he even stood, I didn't know. Maybe to shake my hand?

I held mine out, smiling for real this time, looking him dead in the eye. Hesitantly, he lifted his out, and took mine. The way it fit so perfectly, it made a shiver roll up my spine.

_I wish this was easier,_ I thought to myself.

He was so warm, and I gripped his hand tighter. We didn't even shake, instead, I pushed myself to take a step forward, gripping his hand like it was my last time seeing him. What I was planning to do next could end in disaster, or end perfectly. He was having mood swings, just like Temari said.

I couldn't take it anymore.

The temptation from earlier came back without warning or hesitation. I cleared the small distance between us in a matter of a couple seconds, taking my hand out of his and sliding it around his thin stomach. The heat that radiated off his chest was more than comforting, it was almost welcoming. I held him tightly, resting my head against him.

My feelings for him exploded inside of me, and I gripped him harder, afraid of the rejection that had been pulled back inside of me.

From under the cloth around his chest I could hear his heart racing.

"I'm sorry." I muttered faintly, smelling the cinnamon from his house faint on his clothes.

Gaara was frozen underneath me, his arms at his side. His heart still raced beneath me, and his breath seemed to come in quick breaths, choppy and uneven. I hid my face in case he tried looking. Which he did. I felt his neck crane to look down to try and find my hidden face.

Who was the last person to hug him like this?

Then, he did something that I didn't expect.

I felt the emptiness behind me vanish when his arms wrapped around me, holding me nervously. He wasn't that much taller than me, but he still was, by almost two inches.

"Why are you sorry?" he muttered, his voice shooken. Not only did his face shake, so did his arms, and I could feel his body tremble sometimes as well. I was the one frozen now. I never wanted to move from this spot. Pushing my luck, I stepped closer, engulfed by his intoxicating form.

"That I didn't realize this sooner." I muttered into his chest.

"Realize what?" he asked. For all he knew, this was just a hug. He was still faking it. He was pretending not to be affected by this, he was_ pretending_ to be emotionless. Serious. Just like he was when he was younger. How could he manage? When would he give in?

"Kankuro told me." I muttered even softer, clutching a piece of his robe with my hand. I heard his breathing flinch.

Then, his hands moved up so fast I didn't even realize they were gone until it was too late. They gripped my shoulders and shoved me back, still held under his grasp. On his face I saw a faint look of compassion before it faded to anger. Fury. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

"And you're pitying me?" he snapped, and instantly I realized he'd misunderstood my reasons.

"Gaara-"

"You've known from the beginning. You've been toying with me ever since."

"No! Listen-"

"I'll kill him." the same words I'd heard about a couple weeks ago were said, except they were different. And so was he.

He was serious.

*****************************************

osht  
GAARA'S PISSED.  
"I CAN'T FEEL FEELINGS. DIE. FHJKASLFASF"  
k anywys  
In this next part I'm throwing something in that's probably completely untrue, but I thought it would be badass. You know how Naruto has the wind element for his chakra? Well, I'm giving Sakura one. She really needs it. I don't know what her's is, or if she has any special moves, but I can't find anything out there that tells me. All I can make her do is throw Kunai, heal, and hit shit really flipping hard.  
She needs something else. SO.  
BE PREPARED.

And review. :x


	7. Last Chance

King and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars.  
Look it up.  
Now.  
It's so fucking powerful, I cried listening to it.  
Seriously.

And yes. I uploaded three chapters since I took so long. c:

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

*****************************************

_"What I'm going to tell you is extremely personal. Temari would kill me. Gaara would literally kill me."_

Kankuro wasn't kidding. In front of me, the red-headed Kazekage was holding Shukaku's old fury in the palm of his sand swirling hands. He was shaking violently, anger pouring from out of him. He thought he was being fooled, played with, pitied. It made sense now, Gaara would never allow that, he didn't want to feel sorry for. He didn't even want me know. I knew why.

He didn't even think it was possible for those feelings to be returned back to him. He thought he would just be better off me never knowing. That's why he was so secretive.

"Gaara, listen to me!" I muttered, feeling myself bruise from under his grip. He snatched his hands away from me, acting disgusted.

"You're leaving tomorrow. Regardless of the progress." he hissed, and I felt my stomach do a nauseating flip at those words.

I reached out, and suddenly his arm came flying up, slamming into my stomach. When I said there was no way in hell he'd kill me, I was wrong.

I was launched back into the wall, my head giving a sickening crack when it made contact with the hard wood. Biting my tongue to prevent me from crying out, I fell to the ground like a rag doll.

My vision blurred, and I saw it begin to darken. I fought to keep my consciousness.

Gaara stared at me, horror plastered on his face, and all at the same time disgusted anger. I knew he still cared for me, but he was furious. I would be too.

The pain shot through my nerves like fire, and I pulled my hand back to try and heal the wound that was beginning to leak blood. My chakra was refusing.

Then, I heard the door open. Kankuro stood there, his chest heaving. Where was Temari?

He must have been warned of the commotion. Gaara didn't allow many guards, he used his own sand clones for those.

"Kankuro, he's unstable." I muttered, my teeth clenched. I hated concussions.

"What did you do?" his brother hissed, rushing to my side.

Sand launched out from between us, gripping me with a painful squeeze.

The anger was controlling him now.

Kankuro leaped near me, performing a Jutsu I couldn't see. Another wave of sand gripped Kankuro, just as it did me. But the Jutsu had completed, and I saw the sand wither around him, leaving him to fall to the ground. I felt the sand around me tighten, and as the pain got to my limit, I felt blood in my mouth. Then, with a painful cry, I felt my arm break.

Gaara's face snapped to mine, and I still saw the worry on his expression. It was like he couldn't control himself, regardless how much he cared. He was crazed.

"Gaara, you're going to kill her!" Kankuro shouted, catching his breath.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Temari was right, you two were playing me the whole time," he hissed, insanity dripping from his words.

"She came up here to tell you-"

"Don't." I whispered, and the sand tightened around me. I tasted blood in my mouth.

"Get me out of here, I can handle him," I breathed, my vision brightening back to normal.

Kankuro glanced at me, and without hesitating anymore, he performed the same Jutsu as before. I crumpled to the ground, my right arm shattered. I healed the broken bone as fast I could while Kankuro fought Gaara, doing his best to keep the fragile office in tact.

Then, as soon as I started healing the bleeding wound on my head, Kankuro sped off to the window. Gaara followed, his gourd tied to his back.

The sand he was using before wasn't as strong as his gourd's sand. It still had Shukaku's power.

I started after them, slipping through the window quickly and following their forms that were beginning to vanish. Shoving chakra to my feet, I raced faster. Gaara was gaining speed. Kankuro was leading him outside Suna's gates, to avoid drawing any attention.

The concussion made me nauseous, and I fought back the sick feeling the best I could. That was something I couldn't heal with my medical training. When a giant cloud of sand began evolving on the outskirts of the village, I pushed myself to run faster. As I got closer, I realized Gaara was trying to trap Kankuro in there.

I didn't slow down as I got closer. Instead, I shoved chakra to my shoulder to protect myself against the stone hard sand I was preparing myself to slam into. Ramming my shoulder into the wall that separated me from Kankuro and me, I stepped back to see the effect it did. A hole opened up, but instantly it was covered back up with a few more layers.

I pushed chakra to my fist and stepped back, shouting as I launched it towards the barrier.

The hole opened again to reveal Kankuro, and he came flying out, one of his puppet moving at his command. His fingers swiveled, every single movement vital to his puppet's survival. Gaara appeared as soon as the wall vanished, his expression livid. I curled my fingers into a fist.

"Why are you trying to kill him? You'll regret it!"

"I'm used to this, Sakura." Kankuro muttered, the strings he used invisible. I scowled.

"Yeah, well I'm just another fucking person. I don't think you were speaking the truth when you told me. He would kill me without a second thought." I hissed, my last words dripping like venom as I spoke in Gaara's direction. I knew I was wrong, but it would cause that sand to go to me instead.

I didn't miss his reaction.

I leaped back when sand came hurling towards me. Barely missing me, I continued, dodging every wave the best I could, until suddenly an enormous gust of window crashed into me.

All the sand that had been attacking me was brushed back, and Temari stood there, her giant iron fan held behind her. Concern was strewn across her expression.

"This is why I didn't want to tell her, Kankuro. At least, not yet." she snapped, grabbing my arm and helping me up.

"He was planning on sending her home tomorrow." he snapped back, twisting his head slightly so the words would be carried back to us.

Temari's mouth opened.

"He lied to me." she muttered, looking to Gaara. It wasn't a question. He didn't even look at her.

"Guess I'm more like him then I thought," Kankuro smirked, fending off another wave of sand that threatened near him. "I can handle him, but he's blood thirsty."

Temari's expression hardened even more, and she widened her fan to the second circle.

"This could get serious," she breathed.

"Shukaku is out of him, though. Surely he can't do that much damage?" I asked.

"We've already struggled with him once. He took us both down after a move that wasted all of his chakra. He took _both_ of us. Gaara is still extremely powerful even without Shukaku." she hissed, watching the battle unfold before us. I scowled.

"Gaara, calm down! What's the point in all this?" Kankuro shouted, making me look up.

A wild grin widened on his face. The sand from beside him spiraled up, crashing into his puppet and from the looks of it, disconnecting one of the strings. His shield had a crack. Another rush of sand and his puppet was buried in heavy sand, distracting Kankuro. The wave was heading for him now.

Temari gasped, and I clenched my teeth, rushing forward.

"Sakura, don't!" she cried as I rushed in front of Kankuro, performing my hand signs as fast as I could, concentrating on not getting one wrong.

The sand hesitated, but still continued, the grin on Gaara's face fading to an angry frown.

I could feel the effects of the Jutsu begin, and I could feel the chakra get sucked out of me. I held my left hand out in front of me, the inside of my hand facing him. My other hand was set on top of the other, outstretched, and I braced myself for the impact in case this failed. It was my last resort.

From the center of my hand I could feel the spiral of heat begin, like a burning string that started from the center and moved out. A tiny ball of fire was hovering above my palm. Then, with a skin splitting explosion, a gigantic flame soared out of my hand, lashing out like an angry fire. It collided with the sand, holding it off in a powerful struggle for a second until finally engulfing it all.

Gaara sent out another wave of sand as soon as his first wave failed, but some of my fire detached from the giant flame and destroyed the second part. He leaped as soon as the fire eventually trailed to him, avoiding it at the last second.

That move wasted about half of my full chakra, and I didn't have a whole lot of chakra to begin with. The fire lashed and spat at everything around it, eating away at anything that got too close. Eventually it sputtered out into its last little flames, the sand that had once been there had melted into dirty, disfigured pieces of glass, scattered across the ground.

I was relieved to know that all of it wasn't Gaara's real sand, he would have been furious.

I collapsed into a heap beside Kankuro, gripping my wrist with my good hand to look at the damaging effects that I know I couldn't heal properly. It was scorched, burnt, and a scorching red fire of my summon Jutsu was engraved in the center. I summoned the chakra to my hand to heal the burnt areas the best I could.

While my attack had taken effect Kankuro had enough time to fix his defensive puppet. He switched and summoned a second, which was slightly familiar. He launched the puppet towards Gaara, and it scurried after him. Gaara was on the ground, his chest heaving. Instinctively he summoned a wall of hard sand, and he vanished behind it, blocking the puppet from completing its mission.

Getting up and moving back, I shook my left hand, cussing colorfully under my breath. Regardless of what I did I wasn't able to rid of the almost unbearable pain in my left hand. I'd used the attack a couple times in the past, and it usually healed within a weak. I could never use it twice.

I was extremely curious as to what it would do with the sand, though. And now that I knew I was definitely going to be practicing my chakra element more. I was lucky to even be able to summon that much, and the only reason I could was with my incredible chakra control. Too much would have burned my hand right off. I didn't have enough experience to summon more without hurting me.

"Sakura," Temari said, holding her hand out. I grabbed it with my good hand.

"I was hoping that would give him enough time to get Gaara under control." I muttered, glaring at my hand angrily. I hated it when my plans failed.

"You're a threat enough. I'm sure that wiped out a hefty load of his chakra, he was trying to fight it for a second. That wipes out a lot of his strength, whenever he fights something with the sand, trying to overpower it." she explained, waving her fan so a gust of wind was launched towards him, taking down a stream of sand he was attempting to use to sneak behind Kankuro.

Gaara was getting frustrated. He wasn't _that_ strong.

"Why is he this pissed anyways?" she asked, gripping her fan tightly.

"Because he thinks I'm faking everything. He thinks the only reason I've been doing anything so far, like hanging out with him, or even giving him a small, pointless kiss is because I pity him." I explained, staring at the spiral in the palm of my hand.

I could hear Temari sigh beside me.

"What an idiot," she hissed, clicking her fan again and launching another gust of wind when the sand got too close. I realized Kankuro was getting tired, and so was Gaara.

"I'm sorry for everything, Temari. I know your reasoning behind all this. I just... I don't know how I'm going to be able to talk to him at all after this. He won't let me."

Temari watched me at the corner of her eye; I continued staring down at my hand. I gripped my wrist with my good hand, sighing stressfully. I knelt to the ground, and leaned on both knees.

"He won't even listen to me,"

Tears weld up in my eyes again.

_I'd ruined everything,_ I thought to myself. Just when I thought everything was fine, just when I thought things were going to be okay and we might actually be a couple, he had to go and do this. Why the hell would I pity him?

_I love him._

Instantly I felt my fearful sadness fade to the burst of confidence I had lost earlier today. But with the confidence came anger, just like it did last time.

And it was a lot of anger.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed a Kunai, launching it at him. Sand came up at the last second, protecting him. But it wasn't instinct like it had been with Shukaku, he had actually moved the sand in front of him to block it. He had noticed my attack.

Gaara's expression darkened. I began moving towards him.

"No one is fucking pitying you! Especially me!" I snapped, not stopping. The sand suddenly snatched me, launching me to the side. I tumbled over and over, and I could feel his eyes on me.

I got up, struggling as I continued walking towards him.

"What do I have to do to get that through your head?!" I cried, dodging another swarm.

Temari and Kankuro weren't attacking him because they were afraid of him. I was the only one who had done anything offensive. Sand hooked me again, throwing me against a large rock nearby. I could feel my bone crack beneath me, and I lay there in a heap. Guiding the chakra to my bones, I healed it quickly, and got right back up.

"Do I have to do this? Let you almost kill me?" I snapped, launching another Kunai at him. It skimmed past his throat, and as I got closer I could hear his weak, heavy breathing. Any other injury that was made was ignored, regardless of the size or pain. I could feel the blood drip down my arm.

"Then kill me!"

The sand gripped me by the throat this time, and pushed me to the ground. I struggled with it, desperate for gulps of air, watching the man I cared so much about try and end my life.

No. He wasn't trying, he was succeeding.

I felt my life begin to diminish.

"Gaara, you love her! Stop!" Kankuro shouted, taking his chance to tackle his brother, only to be warded off by the sand at his side. Those words made the hold on me tighten, and I could hear my heartbeat in my head now. My sight was fading.

"I don't love her," he scowled, his hands balling into fists.

"Bullshit, you have for a year now! I've seen how you look at her-"

"_I don't love her!_" he shouted, shutting his eyes. He was shaking.

"Are you trying to tell yourself that, or us?" Kankuro snapped, and he was hurled to the ground by Gaara's sand. He was right. I gripped the sand with my hands, trying to speak. Trying to tell him otherwise, but only quiet, desperate cries came out.

My vision was fading faster, and I swore my life was flashing before me.

"Gaara, listen to me. I was wrong." Temari's voice cried. It was fading.

My vision was darkening.

"Sakura loves you!" she screamed.

Temari's words sounded far away, but I knew she was a lot closer. At that exact second I felt the sand lighten, but it was still too heavy. I was only able to catch Gaara's eyes widen before I was forced to lose my sight.

~***~

When I woke, my entire body was sore. Back in Konoha whatever soreness was felt would have been healed immediately, but I remembered where I was. I was in Suna. Suna was low on medical staff, which is why I was here. Not only did I remember that, I remembered who put me in this hospital. I heard a lot commotion being made around me, outside the room and inside. The familiar sounds of a hospital rang in my ears, along with the irritating sound of my pulse on the machine near me. I recognized the sour smells of medical gear mixed with blood. My blood.

I opened my eyes slightly, staring up at the light tan ceiling above me. The light blinded me for a second, and I shut my eyes immediately, moving my face away from the window with a scowl.

I hated being the patient.

"Sakura?" I heard Temari's voice asked, worry ringing in her voice.

I turned over, opening my eyes to absorb the sight of her sitting on the chair beside me.

"When am I going to get the hell out of here?" I asked instantly. The windows were hidden by blinds, but the door was open a crack.

Her beautiful, relieved smile made me smile too.

"You're the Medic Ninja here, not me. How do you feel?"

"Like I was beaten up." I muttered, laughing lightly. I sat up in my bed, pulling the IV out of my arm and any other useless wires that I knew for a fact I wouldn't need. I wasn't going to die, I was just sore. I needed rest, and I wanted to rest in my bed. I forgot how heavy and abusive sand really was, I'll make sure to remember that. If Gaara will talk to me, that is.

I paused at the thought of him, and sighed heavily.

"Gaara regrets attacking you," Temari said. I looked over from my spot. Her expression was bleak, but her sad smile stayed. I nodded, looking back down at my hand. The spiral was still there. I wondered how many medics tried healing it.

"Where is he?" I asked nervously.

"Outside the door." she whispered. I felt myself tense up.

"_What?_ Why is he out there?" I hissed, feeling anxiety run through me.

"I told him you loved him. He doesn't believe me, but it was enough to make him stop and think, and for us to tackle him down. At least he's thinking normally now, at least. He's curious." she said with a happy smile, sitting up from her spot, grabbing the fan.

I really, really didn't want to talk to him yet. I was terrified to.

"How long have I been in here?" I asked before she got too close to the door.

"Roughly two days. It's night now. You were unconscious up until now."

"Has he been waiting the whole time?"

"He came down here shortly after you got in here. He had to settle things with the high council. But, yes. For two days." she muttered, eying the ground. I groaned. What a pushover.

I turned my head to look out the window. I didn't want to see him yet, and Temari looked at me one long, last second before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

I was a little relieved that I was alone for a few minutes before he came in, and I'm sure Temari had something to do with it. As soon as she shut the door I was out of my bed and in the bathroom with my handful of clothes, changing into them as quickly as I could. I could hear their conversation from the bathroom, and I know Temari was far from done.

Then again, I knew he didn't care.

I snuck out of the bathroom and out of the window near me, leaping onto the roof quickly and onto the other buildings of Suna. Temari probably guessed I would have done this, there was no way in hell I was going to face Gaara like that. When I reached the giant building that held my belongings, I rushed to the back, glad that I wasn't receiving any glares from any of the people there.

They probably didn't know yet.

When I reached Temari's place I headed straight for the bedroom, yanking off my clothes and putting on a long dress as my pajamas.

Believe it or not, I was still extremely exhausted, and my muscles screamed at me to rest. I could still meditate, though, but I knew I wouldn't get far without being interrupted. I didn't exactly want to waste another pair of clothes just for Gaara, I would just have to suck it up.

I walked out to the living room, grabbing a book from the pile I'd rented at the library. Suna books were extremely different from the ones in Konoha, but I did find some that I'd read before. Settling on the couch, I knew I didn't have long to read before he'd find me.

And when he did, I was almost asleep.

My eyes darted open when the door shut noisily, and I looked over my shoulder in instinct to see who it was. I shouldn't have been surprised to see it was him, but I was. I turned to look back at my book, pretending to be uninterested. Deep down inside, I was very interested. I was panicking.

He walked towards me, sitting on the end of the couch. There was no gourd this time, just his regular ninja clothing. I crossed my legs tighter.

"Temari talked to me yesterday night." he muttered finally. The silence had been screaming at me, and even though I had my face in my book, I didn't read a single thing while he sat there.

"I figured she would." I muttered, setting my book down at the table. I shut my eyes and sat up so I was cross legged. His eyes moved down for a second, and then he looked away, leaning against the couch with his arm along the top pillow. I saw a blush widen on his face as he stared out the window.

I blinked, and looked down. I turned scarlet and grabbed a pillow I was laying on, shoving it on my lap quickly. I should have realized I don't have my tights on that blocked those kinds of views.

I wonder how well the conversation would go now.

"She said something I'm sure you didn't want her telling me." he continued, not looking away from the window. I felt guilt wash over me.

"No, I'm pretty sure I wanted you to know," I muttered, looking down. I ran my thumb against my wound, watching it spiral to the center of my palm. It was always so entertaining to look at. But the fact was I'd just admitted to him I wanted him to know, and I watched his head snap back so he could look at me like he had earlier.

"What about you? Kankuro told me yesterday."

"What did he say?" he asked, curiosity ringing in his tone.

"That if I wanted to know to look at the photo on your desk," I looked away. I could see from the corner of his eye that he was fuming. I didn't want to make him angry again.

"Whatever Temari said was right, though." I shielded my view with my long pink bangs, but I could see his reaction very faintly. He'd smiled.

"Why did you think I would pity you?" I asked, my eyes looking up to see his face.

Silence met my words, and I knew he wouldn't want to talk to me about this. I was the only one he could talk to about it, and I was determined to hear what he had to say. He will trust me, over time.

I reached out for him, putting my hand on his. He snapped his head back to look at me.

"Gaara, talk to me. I'm not going to do anything." I spoke quietly, squeezing.

Something shined in his eyes. Once they were shielded, hidden, masked by an expression that was fake and stone cold. Sometimes it would falter and I would see the true emotions, and this was another one of those times. Except, it changed completely.

His true, soft side suddenly melted through, and my heart raced to see how amazing he looked with such a caring, loving look about him. The nature was so abnormal for him, I knew this. But he wasn't a monster. He had feelings, and he had this emotion. He wasn't a serious, hard-looked person all the time. He was still human, and throughout his entire life he probably hid it from everyone, like it was a weakness.

"You can trust me." I whispered, smiling as warmly as I could.

Gaara's bright blue eyes still stared at me, like he was struggling on what he was trying to say. Finally, after what must've looked like a staring contest, he closed his eyes and put his face in his hand.

"I'm not used to this." he suddenly muttered, and I ran my thumb along the top of his head.

"I know, it's alright."

"I didn't expect you to return it." he said, and I gave him a questioning look.

I didn't understand what he meant. Then, it clicked.

He didn't expect me to return the feeling. I was right, he didn't expect me to love him back.

"I've been returning _it_ since the day you "played" with me when I was training." I muttered, looking away from him. It wasn't as embarrassing as a year, but still.

The Kazekage's eyes widened, and his hand shuddered beneath mine. I felt it also tighten.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"The same reason you didn't, except," I paused, and took a breath.

"I've loved someone in the past. And when I admitted my feelings, he didn't care. He hated me. He called me annoying, ugly, and I cared for him so much, I risked my life. It scarred me ever since."

"The Uchiha." his voice spoke, and I nodded slowly.

"I abandoned love since then. But when I met you again after so long, and you were my only friend here other than Temari and Kankuro, something clicked. I struggled being around you." I continued explaining, the words practically flying from my mouth. Like it was finally free.

"Why?" he asked, and I paused.

"Well, I was falling in love with you. Love does crazy things to me." I muttered.

I saw him smirk at my words, but there was a strange distance in his eyes. I pondered his gaze. It was probably because I admitted it completely to him, and he was probably exploding on the inside right now.

His eyes moved to my arms where three large bruises lay, the remains of what real damage had actually been there. I couldn't read his expression. He was only two feet away from me. And, what was worse, he hadn't said anything.

This entire conversation was awkward, let alone embarrassing. The silence was overwhelming. I sat up and grabbed the book, heading to my room to put it back with the others.

Then, I had an idea.

"Gaara, come here," I said, and I could hear the weight lift off the couch. He approached me curiously, and I acted cautious at what I did next. I reached out for his hand, and he eyed it nervously. He may be an expert mass murderer, and he may have almost killed me yesterday, but there was one thing he wasn't good at, and that was relationships.

I dragged him into the bathroom where the light was the brightest, and stood him in front of the mirror so he was facing it.

"Don't freak out," I muttered, and I stood in front of him, only inches separating us. I reached for his forehead, and his icy blue eyes looked at me. I shook under his gaze.

I reached for the Kanji on his forehead, moving some of the long red bangs out of the way. I remembered that it was actually a scar he created when he was little when his uncle tried to assassinate him. It was red, like the color of blood, I didn't see how it stayed the same after all those years.

I felt a shaky arm move past me to rest on the counter. He closed his eyes, and brought his hand up to his forehead, rubbing the Kanji.

"What's wrong?" I asked, leaning back. My pink hair trailed past my shoulders, and I began untying my headband from my hair. I set it on the counter.

"Just a headache. Ever since Shukaku left I've been feeling strange." he said, his eyes moving from under his eyelids. He looked stressed, he was obviously still trying to bottle everything up. The emotions were too much for him, it wasn't Shukaku. He was still hiding it.

And he was too much for me. When he spoke, I could feel his breath against my face, and it sent shivers up my spine. He was so close. I felt my breathing quicken. He noticed this instantly.

Opening his eyes, he looked right at me, and I couldn't help but stare back. My knees started shaking, and I looked away, turning my head. I backed up and leaned against the wall that was directly behind me, trying to stabilize myself. Gaara looked at me in the reflection.

Then, he smirked.

"What's wrong?" he asked the same question I had just moments ago. He was too close.

"Nothing."

"You're lying." he whispered.

"It's y-you, being so close," I muttered. I didn't even realize he'd taken a step forward.

"What's wrong with that?" he smirked even wider. That smile was beautiful against his pale face. I didn't notice he was beginning to lean in.

"I _have_ fallen for you," I whispered, his face only inches from mine.

"I know you have." he whispered back. I could count each eyelash now.

His hand moved beside me, reaching for my waist. My breathing kicked up another notch as his form pushed hard against mine, shoving me into the wall roughly. He leaned his forehead against mine, and I stole a glance at his smirking lips one last time. I knew his intentions.

I felt them press against mine nervously, determined, thirsty. The type of thirst he'd been hiding for a long time. I breathed harder now, ecstatic, finding it almost impossible to hold still. Gaara kissed me hard, gripping me tightly against himself. He kissed me again once he broke it, harder than the first one. Then he did it again, even harder. I could feel the emotions sore through me.

It felt _great._

I kissed back with as much enthusiasm as he did, reaching for the back of his head hungrily, running my pale fingers through his blood red hair. The kiss deepened, and he pushed harder against me. I knew why. A blush as red as his hair spread on my cheeks, and I opened my eyes a sliver to see his flushed face.

I shut them when the hard kisses were ending, and his mouth began demanding something else. I opened my mouth hesitantly, scared; I'd never done any of this before, and either had he. As soon as his mouth opened and I tasted him, those thoughts vanished instantly.

I was wild now, uncontrollable. Careless.

I pushed back against him forcefully, our mouths locked with each other's. I noticed when he'd inched between my legs that he was shuddering violently, lust practically pouring from him. It lasted several long minutes until he stopped, his breathing frantic. I was practically gasping for air. Sometime between it he'd picked me up and set me on the counter, but I hardly paid attention. The taste. The taste was even better than the smell. I didn't have a name for it, but it was so damned good, I wanted more. When he pulled away, I was grinning, and then I saw him smile back, his face red.

Then that beautiful, amazing smile widened into a grin. A grin just for me, only for me. It was the first real, happy grin I'd ever seen from him. I knew it had just slipped from him, he wasn't doing it intentionally. He couldn't control it, he was just happy. Truly, seriously happy.

_I made him happy._

I reached up to touch his face, and the grin never changed. He did the same, except he cupped my cheek, leaning back in to kiss me again, almost as if he couldn't have enough. I felt the same.

"Sakura, do you have an extra tam-" Temari's voice started, opening the rest of the door.

We'd never shut it. I pulled away instantly, and he did too. Temari stood there, her mouth open on the last word she'd cut off on, shock written all over her face.

I'm sure horrified was on mine.

"Nevermind." she muttered, a wide, teasing grin spreading on her face. Then she turned, shutting the door behind her, and I could hear the snickering fade as she went down the hall. I wonder what we had looked like.

"Damnit Temari," I heard Gaara mutter from in front of me, leaning in to rest his head against mine. I smiled, my heart still throwing a fiesta party inside my chest. I slipped off the counter and touched the cold ground with my feet, grabbing my headband and standing in front of him. He was eying me, his chest still heaving and his face still flushed. Then, he shifted uncomfortably.

I knew he wanted more, what guy didn't? But I wasn't going to do _that _yet.

I opened the door and walked out, Gaara following me soon after. I didn't want him to kill Temari. I shut the door behind us, and he was back to his serious mood.

"Smile like you did five minutes ago." I said, walking towards him. He glanced at me. A smile widened on his lips, and I was shocked he actually listened to me. I grinned at the sight. The smile turned into a smirk, probably the most natural thing for him, and he glanced at the end of the bed. Raising his brow line, he stepped away from me and to where his sweatshirt lay spread.

I looked away, gripping my arm with the opposite hand. How embarrassing.

"You've kept it there the whole time?" he asked, picking it up. I nodded nervously.

I saw him staring at me, and I tried shielding my eyes with my hair.

"Don't stare at me like that." I muttered, my fingers trembling. I was smiling.

"Why?"

"It's overwhelming."

I heard him let out a short laugh that he made when he'd released air, and he took a step forward, gripping the bottom of my chin with his two fingers. He swooped down to kiss me, and I shuddered under the sudden lust.

"That's overwhelming too." I whispered into him, and I could feel him smile on my lips.

"You're staying with me tonight." he muttered back, pressing another kiss on me, making me tremble. It obviously wasn't a question. I grabbed a pair of ninja clothes from my room and made my bed as quickly as I could. Then we left, and I shut the door behind us. My room wasn't that far.

The relationship had taken off so fast, I was relieved. Rejection no longer dwelled in my heart, it was obvious now that my feelings had been returned. We snuck through the house, and Temari looked up from the table, eating what appeared to be a giant bowl of almonds. Gaara never looked over, he sneaked by as fast as he could.

When she looked up, Gaara had already rushed past, and I gave her a stupid look. Before we reached the door that led to his house, I heard her laugh. As soon as that door shut, he'd taken my hand, which caught me slightly off guard. Smiling in the dark hallway, he led me back to the room I'd stayed in the second night here.

I set the clothes on the nightstand next to the bed, taking the left side of the bed.

"Why don't you sleep?" I asked, slipping into the sheets without hesitation. I was still exhausted, and my body was demanding rest. I didn't see how Gaara managed to constantly stay awake.

"If I sleep it's possible I could be asleep for a very long time. I won't risk it. Ever." he muttered, beginning to take off the random articles of his clothing and setting them in a hamper. It was strange to see him as a guy who even did laundry, let alone even care what he smelled or looked like.

Gathering a pair of clothes and heading to the bathroom to change, I instantly felt guilty. I could have left the room or ducked under the covers. He walked back out a moment later, dressed in a black t-shirt similar to what Naruto always wore and a pair of baggy black pants. I stared.

It was probably the first time I'd seen him in something other than his Ninja clothing or a large robe. I was shocked to see how small he was, yet, well shaped. _Extremely_ well shaped. I looked away.

"Kankuro was right." he smirked, sitting at the end of the bed where my feet were at.

"What?" I gave him a questioning look.

"Women like it when guys wear black."

I felt my mouth open instantly as soon as he'd finished. I shook my head, laughing lightly. I was going to have to deal with Gaara's tests for a long time. He'd learn eventually.

After a few minutes he got in the bed next to me, which made my nerves stand on end. He was sitting up though, of course, and we talked back and forth about several things. Some stupid, some embarrassing, some important. Sometimes he would pick on me when I started falling asleep, and he kept waking me up. Eventually I curled up next to him, trying my best to pretend I was asleep. Of course, he'd known better.

I didn't know when I truly did pass out, but I did know I had my arm around his waist, and he'd been looking down at me. The next morning he was still there too. He'd leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes shut. At first I thought he was sleeping, but as soon as I'd risen and stretched, his eyes opened. A giant smile widened on his face, almost as if it said "good morning".

I layed in bed for a while with him, dragging him down so he was laying down as well. When I'd moved on top of him, I didn't even hesitate or think as to how he'd take it. Of course I was panicking on the inside, I'd never layed on a man before. Gaara froze when I did, and as soon as I'd gotten comfortable I set my head on his chest, hearing the amazing sound of his heart racing. I would never get over it.

Or, more likely, I would never get over him.

~_*One and a half Months Later*_~

"Wow. You're learning about as fast as I did," I said with folded arms, leaning against the door frame of the hospital. I'd dug through the library to find a six scroll, and I'd actually gone through it to see how difficult it was. To my surprise, I'd actually learned something from it. I always struggled when it came to healing muscles, and now I found an easier way. I was making Hiryu learn this now.

Today, he's just finished it, and just finished all of the scroll training. Of course, he wasn't as good as me or Tsunade, and he still needed a lot of constant practice to heal fast, but at least he could properly heal whatever he needed without too much trouble.

What he had to do know was actually train for real. He'd been assigned a position in the hospital as a medic nin in training to be involved with the surgeries. I went with him, of course, and pitched in my own skills to help with Suna's patients. I'd been welcomed in the hospital since day one, and now I was regularly known by the staff there. I'd even made friends, and sparred with some of them. But of course, I'd beat them; They were shocked to see the strength Tsunade had taught me.

Hiryu looked up from his spot, and bowed happily.

"Hai. Thanks, Sakura-Sensei." he grinned, the stutter that he struggled with no longer giving him problems like it used to. There was a time every now and then he couldn't control it as well and he's stutter like crazy. In the end he just wouldn't speak at all, and I'd end up laughing at him.

I'd adorned a few other things while I was here in Suna. The boots were one thing, of course. But I meant personality. I'd changed a lot, especially being with Gaara.

We hadn't gone far with the relationship. He was still new to everything, and it wasn't just the relationship, it was the emotions. I had to teach him the emotion's feelings and a lot more. We're teaching each other relationship things, though. And it's been a blast.

It's been roughly one month.

Now people are beginning to recognize that we have an "interesting" bond. We haven't held hands in public yet, nor have we even gone out to eat. But he'd kissed me in front of the High Council once and we walked together in the streets of Suna constantly.

The best time was when we sparred out in the training field, and a few people had taken curiosity. I would too, I mean, it was the Kazekage against a well known Medical Ninja from Konoha. Of course I'd lost, but I was curious on how far my element in my chakra had progressed. In the end there was a lot of glass that littered the ground, but it was cleaned up afterwards.

To my surprise, though, I'd wiped out a nice amount of his chakra, and as soon as he realized that he went back to training on the field. The motivation was healthy for him, and I was proud to know I could almost take him down alone. I knew that would never happen, though. After a week of furious training he was out of my league again, and in top shape. Kankuro was afraid of him even more.

"Ready for the hospital job?" I asked, getting off the door frame to stand properly.

Hiryu nodded at the other end of the table, and I grinned.

"Alright, lets go." I said, turning and gathering the scrolls, heaving them over my shoulder. I had to drop them back off, now that he could easily complete them.

He put on the same colored scrubs I wore, except there was a newbie stripe through the middle that told others he was in training, but still not complete.

Now that Hiryu was done, he only needed hospital training. I hadn't expected the training to go this fast, but I should have expected it. All I had to do was guide and teach him, and he already had most of the experience. He could train by himself now by the guidance of other medic nin, he knew what he was doing. It would be helpful if he had me, but he didn't need me. I did most of my work without Tsunade anyways.

I put my scrub on, which had been made pink especially for me. I'd screamed when I saw it, and it reminded me of my scrub back in Konoha.

_Konoha_.

Everyday I missed that place. It was my home. But I'd accepted this place as my second home as well, especially since the most important person in the world was here, too. I struggled accepting the fact that I would go home soon.

Sometimes, because of this fact, I wished I'd never gotten together with Gaara. Being with him made me the happiest girl in the world, but I know the pain leaving wouldn't be worth it. I had to stay. But I didn't have good enough reason to, and I knew this. I couldn't think of anything that was even a good enough reason anyways, they would make me stay. I just wouldn't tell them.

We entered the emergency area and to the surgery room. I shoved a pair of gloves on, including a mask, making Hiryu do the same. He took a deep breath.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine. I'll be there to fix anything you messed up on. Just remember, if you really mess up, you'll kill him." I smiled, putting my hand on his shoulder.

A look of horror grew on his expression. I laughed.

"No pressure," he muttered under his breath, putting on his second glove and going through the double doors that led him to the surgery room.

I followed afterwards, preparing my chakra for the somewhat complicated procedure that was going to be completed this time.

About roughly an hour later, we were finished, but there were a couple more after that. The whole time I stood on my feet, using my chakra wisely and spending almost all of it. When the third surgery came along, I was only useful enough to do the first half, and then I collapsed.

I'd struggled back to my feet with the help of Hiryu, and when I tried going back one of my friends demanded me to go home. I'd argued, but she'd argued back until I realized she was right.

"Hiryu, will you take her home? Tell the Kazekage she needs a lot of rest, she's done more than help the hospital, she needs to help herself for once." the blond haired woman said, sometimes reminding me of a gentle Tsunade. I leaned against Hiryu, exhausted, barely conscious to even hear the conversation.

"I'm fine, let me continue." my words came out in a low mumble, slurred and not even audible.

"Hai, ma'am." he said, his towering form swooping me up in his arms. They stared at me as I tried to talk, but before I could get my voice back we were moving.

In the back of my mind, something told me to tell him to put me down. But I was so tired, I didn't really care. I felt him run through the hospital and out the door once he'd help me take off my scrubs, and the cool air against my hot skin felt soothing. I recognized the smell of the Kazekage building instantly, it always smelled like old sand and leather.

I don't know why, there was no leather in there. He skipped a few stairs at a time and the annoying secretary practically shrieked when she saw me. Hiryu had inherited my unhidden temper during our training, and had no problem snapping at her to shut up when she started carrying on.

I would have to remind myself to take him out to eat later. Then, I heard the familiar creaking of Gaara's doors open, and Hiryu scooted in.

I sensed fear almost immediately, which woke my senses up.

"She collapsed working in the hospital." Hiryu muttered quickly, holding me out in his arms. I opened my eyes to see Gaara, hopefully he'd revive some of my strength.

Instead I saw a horrified expression plastered on his handsome, pale face, yet he looked furious. Not at me though, and I remembered why. He was jealous of Hiryu.

I shut my eyes again.

Halfway through our relationship, which is probably about a two weeks, we found out Hiryu had a crush on me. Nothing huge, though. He was telling one of his friends, and I'd heard it when I was eavesdropping. Gaara freaked out and became over protective of me ever since; He was even tempted to give him a new mentor. Which, wasn't really possible. The reason I came here was to mentor him.

I felt sand wrap itself around me, and then I was in another pair of arms in a matter of seconds. Gaara had zoomed over, snatching me from his arms, and when I looked back up he looked worried.

"I'm okay," I muttered weakly, furious that I'd wiped out so much chakra that I could hardly move.

"They told her to stay in bed for a while-"

"And that's exactly what she'll do. You're dismissed, Hiryu." Gaara's cool voice demanded, and I turned back over to see my apprentice, who'd come so far in his training. I knew he didn't want to go.

He didn't have a clue about Gaara and my relationship. I'm sure he was curious, though.

We were trying to be quiet about it. It would only draw unwanted attention. We would tell a few other people by the time I had to leave, but not yet.

"I'll be fine, Hiryu. See you tomorrow." I spoke tiredly, and laying limp in Gaara's arms. With a frustrated bow he left the room, and when the door shut I turned immediately to bury myself into Gaara's side, breathing in the strong smell of Cinnamon. He held me tighter.

"What were you thinking?" I heard him mutter, the tone in his voice only used for me.

"I didn't even realize I'd used so much until I blacked out," I muttered into his shirt, and I could hear the quickening in his heartbeat. No matter what we did, he was always so effected by what I did. I don't think he'll get over it for quite some time.

"You're going downstairs to sleep."

"Will you be there?" I muttered, lifting my head to look at him.

"I can't leave the office today." he spoke briefly, heading for the double doors.

"Then I want to stay here." I said under my breath, closing my eyes. I felt him pause in his steps, stopping right in front of the door.

I held my breath.

"Having a girl sleep in my room would make people think there's something going on."

"They would think the same if they saw you walking down the stairs with me in your arms."

"I could always sneak out."

"Well, I want to stay here." I whined, grabbing onto his right arm.

Gaara looked down at me with a serious expression, and then he smirked lightly. Turning, he went to the long velvet couch that was at the opposite end of the room, far from his desk. Setting me down on it, I made myself comfortable. Which didn't take much, I was so exhausted that sleeping on the floor would have been great, too.

He went back to his desk, and I fluffed the pillow behind me, immediately forced to close my eyes and drift into sleep once I'd layed down.

*****************************************

LOL.  
FIRST KISS. It was so damned fun to write~!  
I skipped about a month and a half. Hooray. Time to speed things up and make everything cute and sappy, like I've been dying to do forever.  
And, yes. There will be lemons somewhat soon. Nice, happy lemons.  
... i guess. Gaara lemons aren't _that_ nice and happy.  
I'll warn you readers when it comes, that way you can skim past if you don't want to see.

REVIEW PLZ.


	8. Decision

THE DAY IS APPROACHING.  
For when Sakura has to go back to Konoha.  
shitshitshit  
BUT I HAVE A PLAN.  
AND IT WILL SUCK.  
Because I'm a failure when it comes to new, snazzy ideas.  
Wrrrryyyyy~

Oh and, two things.  
Be mature with the lemon part when it comes, for the love of Naruto.  
It's not THIS chapter, but it's soon. Just be prepared.  
I did my best. Figured it was the best -type- of Lemon for them.  
And I like lemons.  
So bite me.

AND.  
[GuggaxD] is an awesome reviewing person thing.  
She(he?) made me smile. c:

SHAAANAAARROOO~!

Thank you all, again, for reading my first Fanfic!  
I'm having a blast writing it, and I know as well as you do that it's coming to an end. u__u

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

*****************************************

I woke up when someone came flying in the room. It startled me so violently I almost fell off the couch, and when my eyes adjusted I realized it was night. The person who'd come flying in was actually Kankuro, and he looked panicked, but not severely.

"Gaara! I heard Sakura collapsed from the hospital, and Hiryu was supposed to take her home. I haven't seen her at your place," he started, running over to the front of the desk and setting his hands on it. Gaara stared at him without much interest, and I smirked from where I was at. Laying back down, I snuggled back into the couch and stretched. I yawned loudly.

Kankuro turned around to see me, and I saw his worried expression shift to one of relief.

"Nice to know you care about me. You know I can take care of myself," I muttered, sitting up. My chakra levels were still extremely low, but I wasn't as tired as I had been.

"Temari and I are supposed to know where you are at all times." he said, folding his arms. I noticed Gaara was staring at him, amusement shining on his face and completely distracted from what he was doing beforehand.

"You're a bad bodyguard, then." I leaned against the back of the couch, my eyes still tired. I saw his mouth open and then he just shook his head.

"No, you're just in five places at once."

"Well, I'm with Gaara, so you know where I am now."

"Obviously," he murmured, and I smiled at his reaction.

"Sakura," I heard Gaara mutter, and I looked over. He had a sheet of paper in his hand. Sitting up from where I was at, I stabled myself before going to his side. When I looked at the paper, it was a letter from Konoha checking up on me. And, wondering when I may be returning.

I heaved a sigh.

"What's Hiryu's status?"

"Complete. He just needs real training now, and he doesn't _need_ me for that, but it would be helpful if I stayed." I hinted, not looking at the letter now, but fixing the random strands of red hair that was out of place atop his head.

Gaara didn't say anything, instead he stared at the sheet of paper where he was supposed to write back, his pen in hand.

"They'll come get you in a few days."

I glanced back down to the letter where he started writing, and then looked away to the windows. This was it, then. Three more days with him until I went back home. Which was strange to say, I'd accepted this place as my home already. Even if it was a second home, it was a home enough.

I walked away from him and set my hand on the desk.

"I'm going to go to the house," I muttered, turning to look back at him.

"I'll be there later." was all he said, not looking at me. The moving bump behind his eye told me he was grinding his teeth.

"What're you doing Kankuro?" I asked. He had a sad look about him.

"I'm fixing Temari's fan. She's at her place, she bashed it against something today. She won't tell me what, but it had to of been something big, because now there's a massive dent on the third circle and it won't even close. That thing is so damned difficult to haul around," he hissed, annoyed.

"Maybe I'll go bug her, then." I said, walking to the double doors. Kankuro followed and went down the stairs with me, but going to his door instead. I went into Temari's.

I'd moved out of her place after about a week of being with Gaara, and during that week I was always with him. And because I was always there I decided just to put to move my things in.

He didn't mind.

"Sakura?" I heard her voice call from the other end of the house, and I took a minute to take off my boots.

"Yeah, it's me." I said back, kicking them off and walking through the living room. I followed where her voice was, ignoring the clinking sound of the dryer near me.

She was in the middle of her room, sharpening one of her Kunai blades and writing something down on her notebook.

"Heard you screwed up your fan." I muttered, going to the end of the bed and crawling up on it. Glancing over at me for a second, she went back to what she was doing with a long nod.

"Mhm. I got pissed when I couldn't finish my new wind technique, and threw it against a giant stone rock. I'd never done it before, and I definitely won't do it again, Kankuro would kill me." she explained, smirking slightly once she'd set the Kunai down. I couldn't help but laugh, the mental image of her throwing it was hilarious.

"Have you been training your chakra for your element?" she asked, and I glanced down at my hand where the spiral had been roughly a month ago. I shook my head.

"No, I haven't gotten around to it at all. I'm always at the hospital. Luckily, with some of my help, we were able to fit in three extra surgeries this week. Plus it's another high medical ninja around the hospital, so I'm a lot of help. We're able to get people out a lot quicker. Who would have thought there were so many in Suna, I bet half of them live in that place." I said, playing with my nails. They were worn down a lot from training, and I'd cut them a few days before.

My words made Temari frown, and I instantly spoke up.

"No offense," I muttered.

"It's fine. Suna isn't the healthiest place in the world, we've been neglected in health supplies and medical tools for ages. You saw how old those scrolls were." Temari put the Kunai back in her pouch beside her, closing it securely.

"Yeah. I still have to return those, they're at the hospital. They won't let me come back tomorrow," I muttered, and she laughed.

"Worked yourself sick?"

"Pretty much. My chakra is really low, I'll probably meditate for hours tonight."

"Gah, I can't believe you can do that. I go insane sitting in silence like that."

"Which is why I'm a medical ninja and you're not." I snickered, and she stuck out her tongue. I glanced out the window at the dark sky, noticing the sun had officially vanished, leaving the stars and the moon to take over.

"Did Gaara talk to you about the letter?" Temari asked, staring down to the floor.

"How did you know?"

"I came in when you were sleeping." she said with a sad smile.

I nodded.

"We decided – or more like he decided – on about three days. Four nights." I muttered, still staring out the window. The moon was cut directly in half. Temari frowned at my words.

"That's sooner than I expected."

"I know. I realize now how much I really don't want to leave, and I had so much anxiety coming here. I feel so at home it's ridiculous, I expected to be dying to leave. But I'm not. Of course, I miss my friends and all, but I just..." I trailed off, biting my cheek furiously, fighting back the little tears that were beginning to flow into my eyes.

"I understand, Sakura." she muttered, leaning over to yank me towards her, embracing me in a tight hug. I returned in, sniffling slightly.

"This sucks," I muttered, laughing weakly. She did the same. I started shaking my leg irritably, then I got up from her giant purple bed.

I probably hung out with Temari for a good hour before I decided to leave. I wanted to go outside for some fresh air, it was incredibly hot in both of Gaara and Temari's houses. Outside it was nice and cold, and I loved it.

I had wrapped myself in a big red blanket that Gaara has stashed in his closet, wearing my black nightgown as I walked barefoot along their backyard grass. It faded into extremely soft sand, and in the back there was a little pond with fish. I'd bought a magenta, gold and white Koi to put in there about a week after discovering the pond. I didn't know if it was female or male, but I ended up calling it Shine.

She was the brightest one out of the bunch, and I think it was because she had such healthy scales. She definitely lived up to her name. I crumpled up some fish food and tossed it into the water, and I could see their mouths come up and devour it greedily. I threw in another handful, and sat down to watch them.

The sand was incredible soft against my bare skin, and living in Suna I'd actually received a small tan. I'd never cared much for tans, I was usually always pale, but it was kind of nice. Almost like a new start. But not really. I was going home in a week. My long bangs went passed my shoulders by a couple inches now, but I kept the back cut the way I always had it.

It was when I saw the sand move around me that I knew I wasn't alone anymore, and before I could turn to see where he was at he had already appeared beside me. I glanced up at him, grinning somewhat sheepishly.

"What are you doing out here?" Gaara asked curiously, glancing at the pond.

His eyes were always the brightest of blue's, they practically glowed in the dim porch light.

"Feeding the Koi, and relaxing." I added the last part to satisfy him. I'd caught on to the fact he hated me working hard. Or, working at _all._ Which made absolutely no sense, that's why I came here. To bust my ass and train someone. I was a Ninja, not a helpless girl.

He didn't say anything back. Instead, he walked away, and I watched him over my shoulder.

The Kazekage moved to the edge of the backyard, stopping in front of a bush and spreading it apart to look through. He was there for a few long seconds before he looked back to me, and I got up, catching the hint in his gaze.

Gripping the blanket around me, I realized now how cold it was getting. I walked over to him and stood by his side, my bare feet creating about half a foot of a difference between each other. Which, was quite attracting, I liked it when he was taller than me. I followed his gaze and looked down. I didn't see anything, and I frowned. Then, he shook the bush.

I almost screamed when several hundreds of little glowing things came flying out. The sudden burst of them made me reel back, and I dropped the blanket. I heard Gaara chuckle briefly next to me, a real smile widening on his face. I realized what these little bugs were.

Fireflies. When they settled down, they flew around slowly, beautifully, in a giant group that flowed in the middle of the backyard. I grinned as I watched them, and I walked forward to get closer to them. There were so many, and they were so harmless.

"Kankuro said you would like them," Gaara muttered beside me, vanishing through his house door and into his bedroom. I watched him go, but I knew he'd be back.

We'd created a routine. He stayed with me every night and rested, but never slept. If he had to he would stay in the office, but he did his best to be with me every night. Regardless of how protected the tower was he didn't like the fact I was there alone. I wasn't really alone though, there was Temari and Kankuro around me.

I think he just wanted to be with me.

I started trying to catch the bugs now, probably looking ridiculous, and when Gaara came back out he proved that fact. He hesitated on stepping onto the sand and raised his brow line.

"What?" I muttered, continuing to try and catch one.

"What the hell are you doing?" he smirked, folding his arms.

"Trying to get one," I huffed, finally snatching one and cupping it in both my hands. I ran over to him, my pink hair a mess on my head. He stared at me, then looked down. I opened my hand very slightly, a glow pouring out from the center where the little firefly was being held captive. I grinned at my childish accomplishment.

"See?" I muttered, opening my hands to watch the bug fly away desperately, probably traumatized that some big monster just captured it. Gaara nodded slowly, and then I paused.

He wasn't wearing a shirt.

For his bottoms he wore baggy maroon sweats, and he was bare footed. I lifted out my hand to touch his chest, not missing the six pack in the middle of his stomach. For his surprisingly thin frame, he was completely in shape.

And he looked amazing.

I laughed lightly as he flinched, chilled by my cold touch. He was so warm.

"You're shivering," he muttered, stepping forward. I looked up at him, and he stepped closer, embracing me in a warm hug. I didn't even realize I was. But now that he said it, I felt my teeth chatter, and my legs tremble. Half the reason was his touch, which always made me shudder. This man had been a dream to me the past couple months, and I no longer thought of Sasuke. He was a figment of the past. He will always be my friend, wherever he is now.

I'd gone through so many missions trying to get him back, and I was going to go through more and more. Naruto had made a promise, and he was desperate to keep it. Gaara didn't know this.

I set my head on his shoulder, and his chin touched the back of my neck. He set a kiss there, romantically, and I smiled against him. I loved how warm he was. He took his hand and rubbed it back and forth on my arm, trying to warm me up.

"You're small," he suddenly said, I laughed lightly.

He grabbed me and picked me up, carrying me like he had earlier that morning. Stepping onto the porch and abandoning the fireflies, I took one last look at them before we vanished behind the sliding screen.

Gaara set me on the bed on my side and slid in like he always did, sitting up. I pulled the sheets over me and put my arm under the pillow, relaxing myself. He looked down at me, his arm lifting out to move the hair out of my face.

I smiled at his touch.

"We're complete opposites, you know that?" I muttered as I scooted closer, looking up at him.

"How?"

"I heal people for a living. Your entire life you've murdered people in countless numbers-"

"I still do." he said, a dark smile widening on his face.

"I know. But you get my point." I gave him my own wild smile back, and he stopped.

Then, he looked away, and I changed my smile back to my normal one. Smiling insanely was definitely not my thing, and it had affected him. Maybe I looked scary. I laughed at the thought, and moved my hand to rest it on his stomach, rubbing it along his stomach.

He moved his hand to grip my wrist so fast I didn't see it coming.

"What?" I asked, turning to look back up at him. I pushed myself up so I was sitting upright like him, and he looked at me at the corner of his eye, his teeth grinding.

"Just don't move it." he muttered, setting my hand back down softly. I stared at him.

Then, realization hit me.

"No way." I breathed, sitting up so I was facing him now. He gave me a questioning look.

"You're ticklish?" I grinned, and his expression flipped completely.

"Sakura, don't-" his voice was serious, threatening, but I didn't care. I lashed out quickly, my reflexes just as good as his, aiming for his sides.

Then, the beautiful ring of laughter exploded from his throat, ringing out in long giggles that made me laugh right along with him. I'd never heard it before. He squirmed violently, and I knew this would only last for a few seconds. He was stronger than me, but I had my chakra that could beat him easily. He had the sand, which was more than enough to beat brute strength. Sometimes.

He was grinning uncontrollably now, and I fought through his arms to get to the sides of his stomach, desperate to hear more of his laughter, which got louder every time I touched him.

When he started moving away, I moved my leg to the other side of him, scooting him roughly to the center of the bed so I was on his lap. Then, the laughter died instantly, and he grabbed both of my hands, shutting his eyes tightly in concentration.

I watched him, his eyes swimming back and forth under his eyelids, the insomnia rings around his eyes extremely visible under the dim bedroom light. I sat on top of him, smiling, watching him curiously. I knew this wouldn't have lasted long.

"Okay, okay. I'm done. Can you let go now?" I asked, and I moved my arms down, expecting him to let go.

He didn't.

"Gaara?" I asked, worried now. I relaxed, putting more weight down on top of him. He opened his eyes, wide, and gripped me harder. His breathing was loud.

"Sakura, you're testing me." he muttered, lowering his head slightly. And then I felt the reason he was concentrating so hard. It was right under me.

I felt my face heat up.

_Way to go Sakura, you made him horny._

The thought of him actually being _that_ made me flush even more, it was so unlike him. But he was a guy, and guys were horrible with that problem. And Shukaku was a very perverted demon, he probably was tortured with thoughts and the feeling constantly. He never had a woman this close to him like that, and if I really wanted to...

For some reason I was really tempted to test this restraint of his.

"What's wrong?" I breathed, looking down at him. His eyes were wild.

"You don't want to know. Just get off." he spoke through clenched teeth.

"Now you have me curious," I huffed, leaning forward. His arms shook, and he released me. I put my arms on the bed on each side of him, leaning into him so I could put my head on his shoulder.

"Sakura," he warned, watching me, the danger in his eyes becoming more clear.

I pushed myself against him, my head laying close to his neck. I could hear his breathing, it was short and rapid, and he'd opened his mouth. And then with one simple movement, I bit his neck.

I was thrown back so quickly I don't even remember what it felt like to bite him. His hands gripped my arms tightly, pinning me to the bed so I was right below him. He was right on top of me, his knees on each side of my body.

Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea.

"Why are you doing this?" he hissed, and I looked up at him. He was fighting the feeling so hard, I suddenly felt horrible. I shouldn't have done that.

"I don't know." I muttered, guilt rushing through me.

_Fucked up again, Sakura. _my inner sneered at me.

"Do you even know what's going through my head right now?"

"Yes." I immediately retorted.

"I won't do this to you. You're so innocent, so damned pure," he trailed off, and closed his eyes, still trying to battle the other demon inside of him. He began to release me, and I sat up so I could get closer to him. I wanted to hold him.

"And in a week you'll just be a memory." he muttered, lifting his hand and running his hand through his blood red hair. Then, he took a handful of it, sitting back so he was cross legged.

He was in pain.

"No, I won't Gaara. Please," I breathed, moving forward so I was in the center of his lap again. I made sure to avoid _that _spot as I did, and I took my hand to place it on his face. It was always so smooth. I moved it up so he looked straight at me.

There were tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Gaara," I said under my breath, instantly pained by the sight.

"I'm not going to be a memory. I'll find a way to come back." I said, staring at him. He was looking at the ground, and he wasn't crying. He wasn't even sobbing.

He just looked broken.

_I'll make it up to you._ I thought to myself, feeling myself tearing up.

"I love you," I whispered, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

Those two bright cerulean eyes locked with mine instantly, something shining in them that made me smile warmly. I was so glad I had him, he was someone who actually cared. A smile spread on his face, and he squeezed my hand back.

"I love you too." he muttered back, grabbing the back of my head, lacing his fingers through my hair and pulling my lips to his. They were warm, and I melted into it.

"I don't want anyone touching you. You're mine," he said protectively, desire ringing in his tone as he spoke into the kiss.

"No one will lay a finger on me." I said back, and I felt a smile on my lips before he kissed me.

~***~

I woke up that morning with Gaara gone, and I understood. He always had to be at the office early. I decided to meditate to kill away the morning, and I was decided I would with Hiryu. I didn't have much time left with my apprentice, and he was probably drained from yesterday, too. I took a shower as soon I'd woken up, washing the grease and grime off of me. I only took showers when Gaara was working, I didn't want to provoke him.

Dressing in my daily ninja attire and slipping my boots on, I went to Temari's house through the sneaky door, walking out her front door. A few people looked my way, but then they went back to what they were doing. I always walked out Temari's door, if I walked out of Gaara's they'd instantly realize something was going on between the both of us. And we did _not_ want that.

I ran up there stairs real quick to tell Gaara. He demanded on always knowing where I was going and doing for the day if I wasn't at the house.

For some odd reason, the secretary wasn't at the desk, and I took my chance.

Slipping in the room, I shut it quietly, peaking first to make sure he was alone. Which, he was. He didn't glance up from his spot when I moved in, and I went to his side quickly, swooping down to plant a kiss on his neck. He hated that.

"I'm going to meditate with Hiryu today. I think he's mastered it-"

"Alone?" was the first thing he asked, and he turned to look at me. I blinked, and realized why he said that. I sighed.

"Probably. You can't really meditate around people."

"Meditate in a separate room."

"And what would I say to him? That the Kazekage demanded him to be away from his mentor while she trained him?" I hissed, folding my arms. I understood his reasonings, but what harm would happen, seriously? I heard him growl, and turn away.

"I'll keep an eye on you two."

"Fine with me. I'll leave you alone." I said with a shrug, turning to leave. I was pulled back down by my wrist until I felt into his arms. Blinking, his lips crashed into mine.

"For good luck," he said, smirking, proud of his little stunt.

"Thank you," I breathed, and with another kiss I flung myself out the window and onto a nearby roof that was actually secure. I'd actually crashed through one already, I made sure to stay wary of which roofs I jumped across. I continued until I reached the hospital. I had to return to the scrolls, and there might be a chance Hiryu was here.

Slowing to a walk, I went through the open double doors, heading straight for the dressing room where we put on our scrubs. I'd left the scrolls in there yesterday, which was a stupid idea, but there shouldn't be anyone who would steal them. Right?

My second thoughts were wiped away when I saw them leaning against the wall. I breathed a sigh of relief, and swooped down to grab them, swinging them over my shoulder. Turning, I retraced my steps, looking for Hiryu at every corner. By the time I'd gotten to the library I didn't see him anywhere. But when I walked in the front door I saw him at a table, reading a violet covered book. I walked past the room he was in and into the study scrolls, putting each scroll back to their home

.

Leaving after they were securely put in their hole, I went to the room he was in.

I snuck in carefully, and with a smirk I chucked a Kunai to the side of him. It burrowed into the wooden table in front of him, and he jumped, startled.

"Morning Hiryu," I smirked, walking over and grabbing my slightly duller Kunai by the handle, shoving it back into my pocket. His panicked expression faded.

"Geez, Sakura-Sensei." he muttered, sitting up from his chair to stand at his enormous height.

"Want to meditate with me?" I asked, putting my arms behind me and folding my fingers together at my lower back.

"Hai. I need to restore my chakra from yesterday," he smiled back, slipping the book to his side. I eyed it curiously, leaning over to try and catch the title.

"What're you reading?"

"Nothin'. Let's go." he said casually, pushing it behind him a bit more. I raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't look like nothing,"

"Well, you're blind-"

I vanished from my spot and behind him, snatching it. I'd surely wasted a nice amount of chakra in my little movement, but it was for a good cause. I glanced at the title, and I saw his expression turn to complete horror.

"_To get the girl._" I said under my breath, smiling. And then, my smile faded.

"Oh." I muttered, and then I handed him the book back, looking away guiltily. I knew why he had this book, and I dug through my mind desperately, trying to cover it up.

I put on a fake grin, turning back to him.

"You have a crush on someone? Tell me!" I said in my annoying imitation of Ino, hoping to sound like just another drama-starving girl.

A large brush spread under his eyes, and he looked away.

"N-no." he said protectively, and I was extremely tempted on making him, but I pushed myself back. Gaara would be pissed, and it was wrong to do that in a relationship. I sighed at this fact.

"Alright, fine. Put the book back, and come on." I said, brushing past him as I walked by. We moved to the back of the library, to a secluded room where I shut and locked the door behind us. I pulled a small cinnamon candle out of my pocket, setting it on the ground. I took a lighter and flicked it a couple times, then put the flame to it and lighting it.

Hiryu went and sat on one side of it, and I turned to shut the lights off, but opening the blinds very slightly. It was good to have natural lighting only, but not too much.

"Cinnamon, ugh. I hate the smell." he muttered under his breath, and I snickered at the irony.

"You'll survive, unless you have another candle." I retorted, sitting down on the other side. He shook his head, sitting cross legged and his palms facing upwards on his knees. I sat so I was on my feet and my hips were together, my knees pointed outwards. Putting my hands together so one was on top of the other, my left palm faced upwards, and I bowed my head slightly, concentrating on moving only my stomach when breathing. Then, I drowned out every sound except for my heartbeat, and I was lost in my empty thoughts.

This went on for a good couple hours, and it went uninterrupted. Once Hiryu had coughed, which almost brought me out of my trance, but I was glad it didn't.

I let the smell of cinnamon drown me, and subconsciously I felt myself smile slightly. Then the uncontrolled thoughts of Gaara swarmed into my mind. I was still meditating, and these thoughts were literally uncontrollable unless I broke the concentration. I let them come and attack my brain, torturing, tantalizing me, my inner self taking her chance to break me down.

These thoughts were amazing, almost real, and it made me feel ecstatic. There was another literate word for this feeling, but I didn't dare think it. I fought to keep my concentration.

"You're blushing."

My eyes darted open, and I could feel my chakra levels blazing, already restored and above what they usually were. I opened my mouth when all the feelings came back, breathing hard, and almost too audibly. I shook my head furiously.

"Wow, you got hit hard this time. Your conscious definitely knows your weakness." he snickered, folding his arms where he was at. He looked completely fine. And me, well, I was a different story. I put my hand to my cheek, feeling how hot it was.

"Damnit," I hissed, glaring down at the candle and bending over to blow it out. I could feel the stupid feeling rush through me, and I straightened out my pink skirt as I stood. Hiryu's eyes were on me, of course, and I tried to ignore it. I wanted Gaara. Now.

"What were you being forced to see?"

"What do you think?" I muttered, letting my _other_ hormones wreak havoc on my personality.

"_Oh._ Well, it happens." he snickered, teasing me, and I went to turn the lights on, putting the lid on the candle and not bothering to open the blinds.

I'm sure he was getting a kick out of this.

This feeling would go away eventually. I hadn't felt it this strong in a while, but it Hiryu was right. It happens, and there's not much you can do about it. My chakra felt like it was on fire, though. I was tempted to release some of it, but I needed to keep it.

I glanced outside when we left the building. I was a little shocked to see that it was starting to get dark a little early, and I realized we'd gone in there around noon. I'd slept in.

I wanted to spend the last three days with Gaara. It took three days to fall in love with him, and now I only had those three days left. I was painfully reminded on how short they actually were.

"Are you going to the hospital?" I asked, and he was still smirking at me. I narrowed my eyes.

"Stop it or I'll make sure you go to the hospital."

"Alright, alright. I'm going to help out a little. Are you coming?" he said, raising his hands. A glimmer of hope shown in his eyes. I shook my head, crushing his hopes instantly.

"I want to go see Gaara. Er, the Lord Kazekage." I fixed, rubbing the back of my head. He gave me a weird look, and I grinned sheepishly.

I saw the look of jealously on his face now.

It was extremely entertaining, unfortunately for him, and I snuck past him. I started running.

"See you later, Hiryu!" I said with a slow wave, leaping onto the nearest roof that didn't look like it would collapse beneath me. I raced through, allowing chakra to be pumped to my feet, and I raced through the beautiful, sandy town of Suna. The town I would miss terribly when I left.

For the rest of the day I hung out with Kankuro, trying to help fix Temari's fan. He had set it on fire and was trying to fix it without bending it or destroying the very delicate detail on it. But the fire he had wouldn't get hot enough for the fan, and if it got too hot he couldn't touch it without using the same metal material as the fan. Temari had a very unique weapon. In the end, I'd taken a chance and punched it with my chakra, the large dent in bouncing back and straightening itself out. Kankuro gaped, and I grinned at my foolish accomplishment.

I was tempted to spar with Temari now that her fan had been fixed, but she told me I needed to keep my chakra full for tomorrow, and she didn't want to damage her fan right after she'd just gotten it fixed. She probably wanted to train.

I did the laundry after that, and ended up passing out on the couch when I got back from trying to get to Gaara. He was in the middle of some giant meeting, I sat outside for probably a good hour and a half. The secretary, to my poor fortune, was back, and she probably stared at me half the time I was in his tiny waiting room. The girl wasn't a bad person, but she was extremely damned annoying.

I think it was the fact she had a crush on Gaara, which always set my nerves on fire at the simple thought. Now I know how Gaara felt.

I went home when my eyes started drooping. I was hoping to spend that last couple days and nights I had with him alone, just to ourselves, but I knew that wouldn't happen. I was just being selfish.

But I couldn't help it. Naruto and my friends would be here in a couple days, and then I was going to be gone again for a really long time. I still don't know how I was going to come back, and I stressed myself out at this thought.

When I awoke in the morning he wasn't there, but I'm sure he'd checked on me in the middle of the right. Hopefully. I rolled over where I was at, which was the middle of the bed, and sprawled out lazily. I turned away from the annoying light and sat up, eying the dresser in front of me.

I had to start packing.

With a disgusted groan, I heaved myself from the bed and to it, pulling open the drawers and snatching my clothes from it. I set them on the unmade bed, grabbing the bag I'd shoved in the corner of the room and unzipping it.

This was one officially one of the worst parts. Preparing to leave. I didn't bother organizing, I crammed the clothes in, leaving out some pajamas and a pair of clothes for the last day.

Anger flowed through me, knowing I had no choice but to leave. I went to the bathroom and turned on the water, plugging the drain. I hadn't taken a bath in ages, and I hadn't even taken one here in Suna yet. Might as well do it now.

I unpeeled my clothes and stood bare in front of the mirror, looking over my naked figure curiously. Then, the same thoughts that went through my mind yesterday went through my head again, and I immediately turned away, practically diving into the hot tub water.

I sensed Gaara bout twenty minutes of laying in the bathtub, but he didn't walk in. I was glad.

Finishing up on cleaning myself and washing my hair, I got out and dried myself off, washing my face furiously. I put on a pair of my casual clothing, refusing to wear my ninja gear.

My last day here was not going to be with me training or at the hospital. And the only way I would make sure of that is if I wore semi decent clothes I wouldn't risk tearing. Putting on a small amount of my pink eyeliner Temari gave me, I walked out, seeing Gaara on the bed immediately.

He wasn't dressed in his ninja clothing either.

I approached him curiously, my stomach doing flips at the simple sight of him.

"I'm taking the day off." he muttered, smirking at the grin that widened on my face.

"How did you manage that?" I asked, and he stood up, always just a few inches taller than me.

"I'm the Kazekage, did you forget?"

I laughed lightly at those words, and he slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him. I huffed when I hit him, he was always a little rough with his actions. It was natural for him. I loved it.

This was our last day.

"Take this," he said briefly, and I felt something go around my neck. I recognized it immediately as a necklace, and looked down at the pendent. It was a tiny little red bag, tied tightly.

"What's inside?"

"Sand from my gourd, stuffed with a small bit of my chakra. It will never fade, and it connects us together. I can already feel you." he breathed, our bodies not even a few inches apart. I looked down at my chest where the bag lay, smiling at such a creative gift. I had nothing for him.

"I wish I could give you something," I muttered, looking up at his eyes.

"You've given me everything." he breathed, leaning in. I watched as he did, his aqua colored gaze controlling me. His hand went through my hair and held the back of my hand, his eyes half closed. The intensity of the moment made my blood race, and when his lips pushed against mine, I felt my breathing hitch and turn wild.

He wasn't the only one who fought the feeling. And I think he noticed.

He broke the kiss quickly, worry shining in his eyes. I left my mouth open, lust glowing from my skin. I don't think he could tell what was wrong, and I was glad.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his face so close to mine, it was tantalizing.

"I'm fine. We can't exactly go out tonight, can we?" I asked, masking my reaction from his strong kiss with a small smile.

"I don't care if they tell tonight. There's not much worse anyone could do to me." he muttered, backing up and walking around me towards the door. The venom that leaked from those words made my heart cry out, shock unhidden on my face. I hated this.

I followed him quickly, and he took my hand. He really didn't care.

We walked out of his house, and when everyone's faces turned to me, I instantly clutched his arm with my other hand. Hard. The stares and looks were almost too much. I felt anxiety take the place of every emotion I was feeling, except for fear. Gaara moved through rather quickly, ignoring the onlookers with ease. He was brave, unlike me.

We were out the door in a matter of seconds, and heading down the streets of Suna. I almost asked him if we could sneak to wherever we were going, but when I looked up I saw his face.

It had to be the best look of satisfaction I had ever seen.

He was proud, having me at his side. He wasn't embarrassed to show people that we were together, even if we were from different villages. And boy, people definitely would know now. I could hear the whispers all around us, I wanted to scream to the world.

The ridiculous part was we didn't even get far. I always slept in, a lot, and it was roughly one o'clock right now. Afternoon.

We went into a gigantic restaurant, and immediately demanded the attention of the people dining. I about fainted.

A waiter came flying towards us when he'd done his double take, snatching two menus and some wrapped silverware as he did. He didn't even have time to open his mouth.

"The room in the back. The far back." Gaara ordered, and the man bowed dramatically. As soon as we got to the back and the door was shut, I relaxed into the comfortable chair, the quietness exploding in my ears. It was perfect.

Gaara's eyes were always on me.

We ordered our drinks, a water for Gaara and sweet tea for me. The waiter vanished.

"If we were going here, I would have dressed up." I muttered, even though I didn't have _anything_ to wear.

"I hate dressing up," he growled, smirking affectionately. I smiled.

"I know. But it's fun every once in a while. I haven't worn a dress in forever."

"You wear dresses?" he said, and I heard a rare laugh escape his throat.

"I bet you can't even imagine that," I muttered.

"You're wrong."

I glanced over at him, and he was looking at the door. A perverted look was on his expression, and I scowled at him. Shukaku poisoned his mind.

The waiter had come back before we even opened our menus. He left to give us more time, and I opened the small menu to glance through.

I was so close to screaming.

"Gaara! These prices-"

"You're not used to this yet. I get things for free," his low voice was almost completely drowned by mine.

"Oh. Right."

I stared at the menu for whatever sounded best, deciding on a simple plate of Umeboshi, one of my favorite foods. Gaara took a little longer to decide, and I realized now I'd never seen him eat, he was always busy. I knew he liked weird food, though. In the end he decided to get salted tongue, and that was all. I stared at him in horror.

"You're crazy." I mouthed as the waiter grabbed out menus, and he folded his hands.

"No, I'm unique." he voiced when the door shut, and put my face in my hands.

I'd gotten so used to Gaara and his "unique" appetite, I was allowed to make fun of him. We were more than just best friends now, and I wanted that to be permanent. It would be permanent.

We talked about random, pointless things for a while, and the food was to us in under five minutes, to my surprise. He pretty much inhaled the food, of course, hardly leaving any crumbs on the plate. The smell of it made me cringe secretly, but I just ignored it and ate my share. I ended up getting leftovers because there had been so much, and I didn't have a big stomach. I didn't even leave enough room for desert, which was my favorite meal.

I loved sweets, which forced me to order a small slice of cheesecake to pick at.

"How can you eat that?" Gaara asked, staring at the food like it was poison.

"How can you eat gizzard, or salted tongue?" I retorted.

"It has flavor."

"_You call _that_ flavor?!_" I huffed, and he smirked at my bickering.

After about a couple hours of just sitting in that restaurant and talking, hardly even eating, we left. My stomach felt bulged like I was pregnant, and Gaara had demanded me to leave the leftovers. If I wanted more he would get it for me, apparently. I didn't argue. Fresh food was always better.

"Where do you want to go now?" he asked in the middle of a random street in Suna, our hands laced. I stared at the onlookers, nervous beyond belief. I wanted to run back into that restaurant.

"Anywhere private, I don't care." I muttered quietly, flinching at an angry look.

"Kankuro said you'd like being taken out," Gaara murmured, practically to himself.

"I'm dating you, not him. Do what you want to do." I hissed gently, and instantly we were surrounded by sand. I felt at ease. Except for the fact that we were covered in it right in the middle of a random street near the market.

Then the sand vanished and we were suddenly in his backyard. I breathed a sigh of relief, my muscles relaxing from being so tense. Leaning against him more comfortably now, I smiled into his red clothing.

"Thank you," I whispered, and he turned to hold me against him.

"You would rather be here?"

"I would rather be anywhere alone with you."

"Then come inside," he said, dragging me with him. I smelled the air as I moved, and I recognized the distinct smell of humidity. Rain.

"Is it going to rain again?" I asked curiously, checking to see if he had noticed it too.

Gaara looked back, nodding once.

*****************************************

Aww, how sweet. He's been a nice Gaara.  
But nice Gaara won't be around for long. :D  
Lets see what happens when Sakura pushes him a little too far. ;D

... oh and lol.  
Hiryu's getting jealous now.  
Imagine him being all possessive towards Sakura after a while.  
"YOU COULD BE MIIIIINE~"  
/gunsnroses

jasjflk;jflaf  
You gotta admit, Hiryu is not that bad looking drawn out. C:  
Mmm~

Review!?


	9. Connected

... ugh.

It's hard trying to keep writing this work and shit going on irl.

I'm sorry guys. :\

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

* * *

When we were back in the room I realized that he was giving me so many last minute things before I had to leave tomorrow, and I had nothing to give him in return. I was going to be gone for months. Possibly years. And the thought of that made me want to collapse on the spot and just cry.

I had the necklace, a necklace that I could feel connecting us together, in some weird psychological way. But it wasn't enough. He'd taken me out to eat too, and by the sound of it he was planning on getting me something else. It was all too much.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

I looked pretty average, I wasn't completely horrible looking, nor was I gorgeous. The door was left wide open, and Gaara walked in curiously. Standing next to me for a second, he turned to grab my waist, gripping me tightly. He wasn't paying much attention to the holding, he was looking at the reflection in the mirror. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

I turned around to look at him, smiling to myself.

"Come in here. We'll just be with each other, alone." I breathed, taking his hand nervously.

"You're shaking," he said. The words rang in my head like dejavu, but I ignored it.

When I got to his room I looked outside at the backyard that was bordered by a large wooden fence. I turned my gaze to the floor, and continued to the bed. It was already getting dark, even if it was only around four o'clock. I got up to turn the lights off, leaving it almost pitch black except for the small light that dimmed the room. I could still see him clearly.

I sat at the corner of his bed, and his eyes watched me.

"Don't look like that."

I looked up, catching his expression. Something on my face made him attempt a smile, but I knew it was fake. I smiled truly in return, and he came to sit next to me, and with a quick tug he pulled me next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder, choking back the tears that had been threatening to burst through any second for the past hour.

His head turned to catch my lips by surprise, and I flushed at the suddenness. It was gentle, soft, and all at the same time perfect. I kissed back.

"You make it hard to breathe," I breathed into him, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up at the connection. I felt the smile spread on his lips. It tasted like satisfaction.

Then, something popped in my head. The thought made me pause for a second, but I continued, and half of me demanded me to act on the instinct. I knew the consequences. I wanted to, so damned bad, and the other half of me that usually screamed at me to say no didn't say anything. And then a rush of _that_ feeling soared through me, almost like my inner self was supporting my idea.

I realize now that my decision had been made for me.

**[Lemon time. c:]**

I continued kissing him back, and then when it broke I kissed him back just as gentle, but then harder. He caught the hint, and pressed back. The kisses deepened until I found his hands trailing to my waist, and my fingers were running in his hair. Then both of our mouths opened, and he was shaking.

I moved up, throwing my leg over him, sitting on top of his lap like I had just the other night. I opened my eyes slightly to catch his reaction, and I was satisfied to see his face flushed. His breathing was quickening, and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. I ran my hands down him, reaching his chest and continuing.

"Sakura," I heard him mumble huskily, and I almost froze where I was at.

I stopped moving my hands and pushed him back so we were laying down, my body on top of his. I deepened the kiss even more, making it spiral out of control, trying to break him. I left his lips and let mine head for his neck, planting my lips along it. My hands moved under his shirt, attempting to lift it. I wanted to feel his skin. I _needed_ to.

I was beginning to shake now.

"Where are you going with this-" his voice cut off when I yanked his shirt off, and then I dove back for his throat, not even hesitating to bite. Under my hands, which were on his chest, I could feel the aggressive hammering of his heartbeat, threatening to erupt.

I gathered as much courage as I possibly could now, constantly telling myself I wasn't going to be turned down. I wasn't going to be rejected.

My shaky fingers went to grab my top and pull it off, leaving me in my bra. I reached for the hook, disconnecting it easily, and starting to pull it off. He watched me, the lust pouring from his eyes. I pushed myself against him again ane the bare skin caused him to throw his head back.

"Don't do this. Sak-" he attempted to speak now, but his breathing was rapid, and loud. Hearing his reaction only pushed me to do more.

I left his neck and started kissing down his stomach, reaching his belly button. I avoided his sides as I went, feeling the happy trail that would lead me to the place where I had all the control. His flexible pants were easy, but I was afraid. After this there was no turning back.

He pushed against me, starting to lose his control. I could feel his arousal as he did.

While I kissed his lower stomach, I quickly threw off my skirt, leaving me in my underwear. I looked up at him, my eyes seductive, and his eyes showed the wildness he was trying to keep inside. I went back to him, catching him by the mouth again, demanding entrance when he'd hesitated.

"Sakura... please," he breathed.

I'd already lost control. By hearing his reactions I didn't care much as long as I reached my destination, which I fought desperately to get to. I pushed myself against him, pushing harder for the lower part of my body.

The last thing I heard was a moan escape from his throat.

His body started shuddering and then he grabbed me, flipping me over so I was on the bottom. He crashed his lips to mine, taking off his sweats at the same time, only leaving him in his boxers. I ran my fingers through his hair, pleased that I'd finally got him to make his move. He was wild. I wanted more than that. Much, much more. I wanted _crazy_.

It was when he headed for my last piece of clothing my real effects of ecstasy hit me, and I arched my back violently, feeling him tug it off my foot and leaving me completely bare. He took off his, leaving him in the same state as mine. Coming back to me, he layed himself on top of me, his erection touching between my hips. I gasped when it brushed against me, and he pushed his lips to my neck, kissing furiously, biting hard at times.

I pushed him back so I was on top again, and I pushed myself down his stomach. I gripped him in my hand, almost hesitating when I realized the size of the erection. I rubbed my finger about halfway down.

"Don't. I won't be able to control-"

"Don't control anything." I breathed, leaning forward, pushing against it harshly. The dominance instantly sparked a reaction. He grabbed me and flipped me over one last time, his breathing wild and rapid.

Then, he took his hand and spread my legs, leaving me wide and vulnerable. His head was leaning against the pillow I was on, right next to my head, his teeth on my right shoulder. I felt him push between my legs, sticking it in between the lips that served as my final, weak protection, and reach the place I'd been urging for him to get to. As soon as he got close enough, he shoved it in, and I felt the burning pain spread through me.

And then, a sharp, unbearable pain that erupted through my nerves.

I cried out, loud, and I didn't expect him to stop. He didn't. The cry made him groan pleasantly, and he pushed into me harder, increasing the pain. Then, he brought it back out slowly. The second thrust sent a wave of pleasure obviously through him, but not me, and he moaned my name in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

Then, I threw my head back, gasping from the sudden intense feeling from the recent thrust, and I saw his eyes widen in shock. His body tensed up, and his nails dug into my arms. Whatever pain I felt was pointless now. He slammed into me as soon as he heard my reaction, and continued until it became rougher. I dug my nails down his back, and he arched, shoving himself as far as he could into me.

I started getting louder, my cries ringing through the room.

He cupped my breasts in his hands, kissing me passionately and shoving his tongue to mine, stifling my cries. He started getting wilder after a while, and I widened my legs farther, feeling everything.

And everything felt _amazing_.

He started going out farther. It was almost dangerously _too_ hard, causing my pleasure to almost reach its breaking point. His hands left my breasts and reached for my wrists, shoving them above my head and pinning them down, the dominance made it even better. The motion got so heavy that the bed was starting to bump into the wall.

Then, he lifted up suddenly, and it hit the perfect spot. I gasped in shock, my emotions running wild through my mind, my eyes blurred by a different personality that was taking control of me. I started crying louder, feeling the wild orgasm flow through my body like waves. He watched me, his eyes thirsty for the same feeling, and he started pushing faster. I started reaching for him and silently commanding him to push harder. Which was almost impossible, he was fucking as hard as he possibly could.

My climax ended after too short a time, and I was positive I'd left a few wounds on his back in the process. I relaxed against the pillow slightly, watching him.

Suddenly, his thrusts got a little different, and he shuddered exotically. I watched as he did, and his eyes widened. He gripped my shoulders tightly, moaning loudly, burying his lips in my neck to try and silence the cries that were exploding from his throat. It didn't work, and halfway into it he'd shouted my name. He'd reached his peak.

I didn't feel anything, but I knew what was happening. He didn't even thrust anymore, he pushed into me as hard as he could, and I ground my teeth at the forceful pain. Gripping my waist with his hands, he tried to practically rip into me with it, pushing me against the headboard.

Then, he relaxed, and I felt the burn fade. He practically fell on top of me.

I knew I would be sore from this. That enough was obvious. It was easy to cure, except I didn't know how to heal it without restoring the piece of skin that held my virginity in tact. I guess I'd just live with it, it shouldn't be that bad.

**[Lemon = Finished. xD]**

My breathing was still rigid, and I could feel the hot sweat that stuck to his skin. I lifted my arms to wrap them around him, and could feel the cuts on his back. Instantly I healed them, afraid he would be upset at the damage. He was still weak against pain, yet lay limp like a rag doll.

After a while of catching my breath and him breathing wildly, I spoke.

"I didn't have anything else to give you," I muttered, a guilty smile widening on my face.

Silence met my words.

"You deserved something-"

"It shouldn't have been like this." his voice murmured into my shoulder, and I stopped in mid sentence.

"What?" I asked, lifting up so I could lean against the bed.

"If we were to do this at all, it shouldn't be the last day I see you."

He sat up as I did, grabbing the sheet and throwing it over his lower half. I held the pillow over my stomach, covering my parts as he moved.

I lay there, shocked, as his expression turned to one of complete regret.

"I shouldn't have even been the first. I didn't realize I was until..." he trailed off, his fingers running through his hair.

"No. I'm glad you were the first. I... _wanted_ you to be." I muttered, embarrassed.

"You're leaving tomorrow morning for Suna. You're mine, I've even _marked_ you, even if it was way too soon. But what's stopping you from leaving me?" he hissed, turning his gaze to mine. Distrust shined in them. This is what it led to?

"Whatever you're thinking, Gaara, it's wrong. I'm going to find a way to come back. I'm not leaving you, I would not do that to you. You need to learn to trust me. I'm not some other girl fucking around with you, I'm your's. That's final." I hurried as I spoke, knowing his emotions were at an imbalance and I didn't want to experience his wrath. Again.

I stared back at him, his bright blue eyes full of anger and worry. They were such beautiful, attractive eyes, but they always held so much pain. The times when he smiled and laughed were the few times it showed love.

And love is what started this. I would never let it end.

"I promise." I breathed, reaching for him. When I touched his shoulder, he flinched. I leaned forward to grab him and tug him towards me.

"Please, just lay with me one last time. I don't know when I'm going to see you again."

"Exactly."

"But that doesn't mean I won't." I growled, and instead of leaning forward at my command he grabbed me, ripping the pillow off. I curled up before him, hiding everything the best I could.

He pulled me towards him, to my surprise, so I would lean into him. He held me around my stomach, and with a defeated sigh I didn't try and hide myself. Although, I knew he was staring. I was probably the first naked woman he'd ever seen.

"Kankuro was wrong." he suddenly muttered, and I looked up at him.

"Your pubic hair is pink," he smirked and looked down to share my gaze.

I flushed scarlet immediately. Throwing the blanket over me, I folded my arms stubbornly.

"What a nice thing to say afterwards. What did he think, I dyed my hair?" I hissed, my face hot.

"Yes."

I gasped, and instantly growled afterwards.

"Your brother is a _dumbshit_." I snapped, and I felt him chuckle.

~***~

I dreaded waking the next morning. Mainly because I was leaving, but the other because I was surprisingly sore. And I mean _sore_, I was furious I couldn't heal the pain from yesterday's events. I wasn't going to take the risk. I needed to build a tolerance.

When I did wake, I looked directly at the Japanese sliding door, noticing that it was bright. The sun was up, and I could feel the heat already enter the room. I was laying on Gaara, who lay awake the entire time, almost like my personal alarm clock. He'd actually shooken me awake.

"They'll be here soon." Gaara murmured to me, and even though he was my alarm clock, his voice almost lulled me back to sleep.

"Tell them to leave." I growled, gripping the man's waist harder. I knew "soon" in Gaara's terms meant, literally, "now".

The Kazekage grabbed me and lifted me up in his arms, and I groaned.

"Let me at least take a bath. I won't be able to for a few more days," I muttered, squirming out of his hold and slinking off to the bathroom. I wasn't exactly prepared for Naruto's reaction when he finds out I've been with Gaara. And, knowing him, he would probably find out the other thing, too.

I sat in the tub for probably a good hour, absorbing the smells around me and trying to practically engulf the cinnamon so that was the only thing I would smell for the next week. I knew it wouldn't work. In the end, once I was out and dried off, I snatched a wet cinnamon stick that was sitting in a vase on the windowsill. I shoved it in a small, empty area of my bag, keeping it secure.

I threw on my ninja clothing, so sore it was difficult to put some of it on. I hissed colorfully under my breath several times until I was out of the bathroom, my body clean and hair washed.

Gaara had changed while I was in there and now he leaned against the dresser, his arms folded like always. I went to him instantly, just like instinct, wrapping my arms around his stomach. The man set his chin on my hand, and squeezed back with his arms. I could feel the tears coming now.

"Sakura," he murmured after several minutes of just holding each other, and I sighed.

"I know. Lets just go." I muttered and turned as soon as I spoke.

I shoved the remaining articles of clothing in a larger bag than the one I'd come to Suna in. I really did need a new one, and this one worked perfectly. It held it all, if not more.

I left the door open as I went, fiddling with the necklace around my neck. I bit my cheek furiously, completely unprepared to actually leave this place. I hadn't even accepted it was happening.

Well, I sure as hell did now.

The pain that weld up in my chest was bubbling violently, threatening to explode in any natural way, which was me breaking down. I couldn't let that happen.

Sand twirled around my fingers, and I closed my eyes for a second to embrace the unnatural, comforting feeling. I wouldn't feel this ever again after this morning. Maybe.

When we got outside of the building, I instantly saw my home bound my companion.

Naruto's wide grin and big blue eyes helped me, and I felt my chest swell at the familiar face; it eased the pain slightly. He rushed over in a few long bounds, and the next second he was right in front of me and I was being squeezed viciously.

"You have no idea how dead it was in Konoha without you!" he wailed, swinging me around like a little doll. The soreness in my legs shot through my nerves, and I started grinding my teeth.

It didn't take long to get annoyed with him again. Of course, I probably wouldn't have gotten this annoyed if I wasn't in pain, but still. I curled my fist tightly, slamming it onto the top of his blond haired head, and he went instantly stiff. Then, he slunk to the ground, and I stepped back onto the ground comfortably.

Gaara, of course, saw the entire scene. Amusement stretched on my face, and I couldn't resist a roll of my eyes.

"I even missed this pain," he slurred from the ground, and I grabbed his arm, heaving him back up from his dramatic fall. He rubbed the top of his head, and he instantly grinned at Gaara; almost like he'd just noticed he was beside us.

"Hey, Gaara! Did you make sure Sakura was safe here?" he chimed, dragging the attention off other people near the gate. I looked at the red-head nervously, secrets shining on his face.

Of course, I was the only one who knew them. Most of them, at least.

"Hn." he barely spoke, his arms folded and his expression serious. I sighed silently. Back to the usual old self.

"Is it just us?" I asked curiously, squeezing the strap of my bag tightly. I was trying to buy time.

"Yeah." he said with a shrug, but he continued smiling.

"Shall I send one of my Ninja back as well?" Gaara asked instantly, and Naruto looked over.

I knew Naruto was curious now.

"Nah. We'll be fine. I'll keep her safe-"

"You two speak as if I can't hold my own," I hissed, folding my arms and looking away.

Then, I saw Gaara's hand outstretch, and in the middle of his palm was a pool of sand. I glanced at it curiously, and tried to put on a masked expression on my face, attempting to hide my glee.

"Put some of your spiritual chakra in this. I can keep track of you until you get too close to Konoha. By then, you two shall be safe enough." his tone spoke seriously, and I tried to hesitate.

Lifting my hand up to put it over his, I tried not to touch him as well, always pretending to be afraid of him. I pushed some of my chakra out onto his palm, and his sand swiveled around it, absorbing it. He put it in a clear, glass pendant, attaching it to a necklace. I watched, and he closed it.

"I need to have one last word with Miss Haruno." his voice demanded, and Naruto nodded. Curiosity flooded onto his face, of course, but excitement flooded onto mine. I hid it quickly.

Gaara guided me past the gate, and Naruto followed for a split second until we were out of the town walls. Walking along the wall for only a seconds, he didn't wait until we were far out of view. Instead, he cast up a sand wall on each side, and we were completely secluded.

I was thankful Naruto was stupid enough not to know how to see through walls with his chakra, otherwise we'd be in for a hell of a rant.

The fake expressions vanished, and so did the seriousness of being professional. I felt myself relax instantly, and I saw him too. He was in front of me in a second, his forehead to mine and his hands on my shoulders. I wrapped my arms gently around his waist.

We held each other for a few moments, absorbing each other, and then I felt him exhale.

"How the hell am I going to do this," Gaara breathed, and I felt his hands clench into tight fists on my shoulders. I stepped closer.

"Just don't think about it, please." I whispered, grinding my teeth.

"You're asking the impossible."

"If we just split and go, a clean break, it'll be easier. Hard all the same, but we can only stall for so long, Gaara-"

"I already know this, Sakura. Do you expect it to be easy, though? This isn't a clean break." he hissed, grabbing me now. The man had changed so much, me being his only real best friend, and first lover, I couldn't begin to imagine the pain he was feeling. Though, I could imagine, and compare.

"No. I don't." I muttered, closing my eyes. I bit my cheek.

Several seconds went by. Then, minutes, until we realized things were going to look extremely suspicious. I started gripping him tighter, his weakness was contagious, and long goodbyes were the worst. I didn't want to speed things up, but, I had to.

I leaned forward, and forcefully pushed my lips to his, holding his face in my hands. He replied with his own force, and we were engulfed in each other for a little over a few seconds before I made myself pull away.

The next part was the worst.

"I have to leave." I breathed, my lower lip trembling, and I fought to keep it still. Gaara stared at me, inches away, his piercing aqua eyes screaming. They pleaded desperately, in a silent way.

"Sakura,"

"You're powerful, and strong, yet you crumble at something like this." I breathed, clenching his robe in my hand. He paused.

"How are you handling this so _easily_?" he hissed, closing his eyes.

"I'll fall apart later, trust me. I don't think my mind's accepted what's actually going to happen once I leave," I explained, blocking the truth from my mind. He continued hesitating. I didn't.

"Just go, Gaara." I breathed, feeling tears well in my eyes.

"Sakura-" he started, gripping my shoulders. I shook my head.

"Get out of here!" I cried, shaking my head furiously, shaking the memory of his face out of my mind. This was getting to be too much.

I shoved him, shutting my eyes and turning away. He didn't react right away. Then, suddenly, I heard him growl. I sensed anger for a second, and then, the sand vanished. And so did he.

He was gone.

I stared at where he had been, blinded by the sudden light the sand had uncovered. It took me a minute to move from the spot, but when I did, I sucked up all the emotional strength I had, and walked.

I bit my lip as I did, masking myself with a fake happy look, and made my way over to Naruto, who was looking at me.

"Okay. Let's go, I want to go home." I lied easily. I grabbed my backpack and threw it over my shoulder, gripping the strap tightly. The boy stared, and then nodded.

"Hai. Let's take off." he grinned, and with a violent bolt he started running. I followed.

I made sure not look back.

We ran for what seemed like ages, and the pain between my legs screamed at me the whole time. There was actually a couple times I wanted to stop and rest, and I'd gotten so far as calling Naruto's name to get his attention. I was glad he hadn't heard it. I forced myself to keep silent, and pushed myself to keep going. Eventually we got far enough that Suna was several miles in the past, and the sun was beginning to fade slightly. It had vanished from on top of us and was now hidden behind the trees.

I worried about Gaara the whole time, and every once in a while Naruto would try and bring up a conversation. Of course, I'd hissed at him to be silent and alert, for we were still far from home. Anything could happen out here. I didn't exactly feel like dying.

Finally, when it was getting to get dark enough to point it was difficult to find a sturdy branch to leap onto, we stopped. There was a small clearing near a stream where the ground was soft and the trees were thick enough to keep rain away, and we set camp there.

Naruto had actually brought two sleeping bags, to my relief. Last time he'd just brought a tent and a huge blanket. I'd been so furious, I made him sleep outside. I'd almost regretted it in the morning when I found him shivering near a few bushes, drenched in rain and cold dew. I officially regretted it when he got pneumonia from it, and didn't even blame me for it. I was guilty for weeks.

Fortunately for us, it was still pretty warm, and even though Suna was far away, we weren't that far from the desert.

"I'm going to make a fire. I want something to eat," he complained, gathering several dead branches from around the clearing, shoving them in a pile in the center of the campsite. Eventually there was enough to actually hold a decent fire, and we brought the camping beds closer to it. Then, unfortunately, a heavy gust broke through the trees and started to blow it out. Naruto struggled at lighting it again, and then I stepped in.

I gathered my chakra and did my routine of hand signs, summoning my chakra's element and strewing fire through the middle and around it. It kept lit, fortunately, and I sighed in content.

"Wow, you've gotten better at that." Naruto praised, grinning.

"Well, what'd you expect?" I folded my arms, looking away.

"Oh, yeah." he mumbled, turning to look through his bag. He pulled out a cup of ramen, and poured the rest of the water in one of his canteens in it. I grabbed a wrapped up potato I'd got from Suna and cast in the hottest area of the fire, poking it with a sturdy stick.

"How can you eat that?" he asked in disgust, turning to reach in his bag again.

"How can you eat cold ramen?" I growled, and he laughed a little.

I shook my head in disapproval towards the ramen, continuing to stare at the fire.

About halfway through the cooking process, the sun was finally set, and my eye lids were beginning to droop. I'd almost jumped when Naruto spoke.

"What made you start practicing it?" he suddenly asked, and I stared at the fire, cross legged.

"Practicing what?" I asked nervously.

"Your chakra's ability." he asked, staring at the fire. It reflected in his eyes. I paused, thinking for the answer to his question. I almost forgotten.

"I wanted to have another ability to use. Brute Strength and basic Ninja skills aren't enough, so I decided to find out my element."

"You're a medic ninja though, not a fighter."

"You're right, and it sucks. I want to fight, and when I do, I want to make it worth their while." I hissed, glancing away. There was a long pause after that. I'd obviously silenced him. I grabbed my potato and set it on the ground away from the fire so it could cool.

Unfortunately, though, Naruto's silence didn't last long.

"Are you sure it wasn't because of Sasuke?" he asked, and I snapped my head back.

"What?" I breathed, caught off guard.

"Sasuke's clan was fire based. Are you sure-"

"Naruto, get your head out of the past. I'm over that." I muttered, glancing away. I thought back to make sure this wasn't true, and to my relief, it wasn't. Sasuke had nothing to do with it.

Gaara, though, did.

I got stronger in Suna with my fire element, I trained it whenever I had the time. It was the only thing against him that was an actual challenge. I liked knowing I was actually difficult for him, especially since he was so strong. Not only that, there was so much glass, I thought that with enough practice I could actually make something. You know, like glass bowls or perhaps designs for windows maybe. Something stupid like that... but, I'd forgot all about that.

How _could_ I have forgotten it?

I sat there there, pondering this thought, and I realized my emotions were beginning to become stressful. Then, I began to tremble, the depression overtaking me. I'd forgotten the most important thing that would remind me of Gaara in Konoha.

Torture was written across my face now, and I tried to hide it. I couldn't. I start feeling the pain boil up inside me, and I kept trying to bottle it away, so damned determined to continue keeping it locked up so no one knew.

But the cap wouldn't seal what was inside, there was way too much.

And just like a soda bottle shooken up, my cap exploded and was violently cast away.

Everything I'd been holding inside for the past half of the day suddenly overflowed, and I felt myself suddenly sob. The truth had hit me.

I was never going to be _with_ him again.

My silent crying started to get heavier, and I put my hand over my mouth, trying to silence it. My body spasmed with every heavy sob, and then it was obvious I wasn't going to be able to hide this.

Naruto had already noticed.

"Sakura! I'm sorry, I won't bring him up again." Naruto started, dropping his ramen cup and abandoning his meal. I closed my eyes, trying to shut off this feeling. Tears flooded down my face.

"Please, Sak, don't cry." he muttered, and I didn't want to know what he looked like right now. The man hadn't seen me cry in long time, and now I was more than just crying.

I was falling apart; What was left of myself was shattering into little broken pieces.

I suddenly wanted to tell the blond haired boy everything, but I knew that was going to kill my pride. Naruto would find out eventually. I couldn't hide this forever. How would he react?

It didn't take long to make my decision.

"It's not Sasuke, Naruto," I breathed out, clenching the arm bands around my elbow with my only unclenched hand. He scooted over from his sleeping back to mine, sitting beside me and throwing an arm over my shoulder. I didn't shrug it off.

"You're not crying over Sasuke?" he asked dumbly.

"N-no." I stuttered weakly, and he stared down at me, worried. Curious, too.

I bit my tongue to try and fight the silent sobs that were threatening to make noise. I stared at the fire with my watery, red eyes, my hand still over my closed mouth. Then, a sob broke through and turned into a weak cry, and I keeled over, burying the pathetic sound into the pillow, still trying to hide everything. Each sob made me shake furiously, almost like I was actually being shooken by someone.

"Sakura, come on, what's going on?" he said, trying to pull me up. I forced myself back down.

"Naruto, it's Gaara. I don't want to leave him." I muttered when my spasming relaxed and I'd gathered enough strength to speak without stuttering again. The arms that were wrapped around me suddenly stiffened, and I buried my face deeper into the pillow. He'd understood, to an extent.

"You... Don't want to leave him?" he repeated, his voice slightly different.

Then he pulled me up again, forcefully, taking me into his arms. I bit my cheek, tasting the blood on my tongue, which always reminded me of copper.

"You like the Kazekage." he stated, almost like a question.

"Hai," I breathed, feeling another roll of depressing sobs begin and I buried my face, hiding it from his gaze.

"When did this start?" he asked, gripping me tightly. I was relieved the jealousy I was sure he was feeling didn't change his true self. He would always care.

It took a minute for me to try and speak again, and when my crying dyed down to a dull, fraction of how I was acting before, I finally answered.

"After the first three days, something in me just... clicked, I guess." I explained, still being held by him. The tears that were on my face were beginning to dry.

I disgusted crying. Sometimes I wish I didn't know how to.

"What about Sasuke-"

"This is way different than Sasuke." I hissed, lifting myself up and out of his hold quickly, suddenly feeling awkward being in another man's arms. He stared at me with his giant, ocean blue eyes, but I didn't look back. I looked pitiful.

"How?" he asked simply, and I smirked slightly behind my long pink hair.

"Naruto, you have to be quiet about this. Please. I want to tell you, but if anyone else knows, I'll be in a lot of trouble." I sighed, taking my palm and wiping my eyes.

"Just between us?"

"Hai."

There was a long pause, and I saw him smile from the corner of my eye. I turned to look.

"What happens out of Konoha, stays out of Konoha." he grinned, and I laughed at the irony.

And so, with a deep breath and a quick build of my confidence, I let the truth come out. I told him how I liked him for two weeks before finally doing something, and then I began to find everything else out through his siblings. I explained it all, including how Gaara had loved me for a year, and how he kept it a secret. I told him how I found out through Kankuro, and the fact that Gaara actually had a picture of me. Then how Gaara reacted, putting me in the hospital by his actions.

I even told him everything that happened afterwards, including last night.

By the time I was finished the reaction that shined on his expression was absolutely priceless; The Jinchuriki was completely stunned. I started putting out the fire, spreading dirt across it and watching the flames sputter down to a tiny version of before. The coals burned hot, and I left them be.

"You went that far?" he finally asked, and I nodded.

"Hai... Everything just felt right, you know? Well, maybe you don't." I said, his face barely visible in the poor light. I couldn't tell how he looked. I might have hurt him, saying that.

"You're right, I don't."

"What about you and Hinata? How have you two been?" I asked, facing him.

"She's been wonderful, and so have I. Things are going great." he grinned, and I saw his usual spark shine through for a second. I smiled briefly. Then, he frowned again.

"Sakura," he muttered, now on his sleeping bag. "Why did you tell me all this?"

"I had to tell someone. I trust you. I wasn't going to keep this secret from _everyone_," I muttered, slipping into the satin sheeted bag and feeling my eyes shut instantly.

"Oh," he muttered, and I opened my eyes one last time.

"And, Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

Silence met my words, and there was nothing else said after that. I heard his snoring before I fell asleep, and if I hadn't been so damned exhausted, I knew I would have trouble sleeping. I instantly missed his arms, which had been wrapped around me every night for the past two and a half months.

The tears I'd been crying wouldn't run dry, but my mood was so low, it was more than depressing. It was torture. I curled up in a ball, compressing the heat so I'd stay warm, and holding the emotions inside of me tightly.

I wonder how long this would go on. Or, more importantly, how long I could survive like this.

The next morning, then the next night, we were back in Konoha. My nerves went on fire as soon as I passed the two giant gates, I recognized everything immediately. Not much had changed, of course, but something just seemed different. Really different, I couldn't put my finger on it. Naruto had a giant grin on his face, and I assumed it was because of Hinata. I couldn't help but be curious as to how he was feeling when I told him about Gaara and me, I didn't know if he was actually jealous or not, but I was pretty sure he was.

"Naruto?" I asked before we got too far. The streets were buzzing this morning, it was really different compared to Suna. He turned to look at me.

"Make sure you stay quiet about our talk." I smiled innocently, recognizing the familiar chilling fear Naruto had on his face. If looks could kill... Naruto would've been dead a long time ago.

The man nodded quickly, and I looked away to stare at the window of the giant Hokage tower. I expected to see Tsunade's face like I usually did, most of the time she kept an eye on the village. But she wasn't there.

Somewhat troubled now, I headed straight to my house with my luggage. Which had become a bit of a burden now, and I was getting tired of carrying it. As soon as I'd opened my door the rushing feeling of home washed over me, including the smell. Roses, my scented candles had obviously continued working while I was gone. Maybe I would buy Cinnamon scented candles.

_No,_ I thought immediately. I wouldn't remind myself of that. Not yet. The smell would be way too overpowering.

I organized my clothes, putting my dirty clothes in a hamper and folding the rest of my clean clothes to tuck into my dresser. To my surprise, the smell of his home was still embedded into them, and I ended up placing them on top of the dresser. The smell wouldn't be there forever, my clothes would ruin them faster if I put them with it.

Then again, washing them would too. I sighed.

After taking a shower and changing into a pair of Ninja clothes in my closet, I left my home and headed towards my next stop.

I climbed the roofs with ease, and when I got to the top I flung myself towards the window of the tower. It was open, of course, and I landed with an almost silent thud. The Hokage looked up from her desk, where a pile of paperwork lay, and a look of misery was on her face. Yet, when she saw me, the expression seemed to lighten up a bit. I thought I saw a smile.

"Good, Sakura. You're back." she spoke, leaning back against her big chair and folding her fingers to place on her lap.

"Hai," I spoke attentively, standing straight in front of her desk.

"Souvenir?" she asked, glancing to my feet. I followed her eyes, and saw that I was still wearing the shoes from Suna. I'd totally forgotten I don't need them anymore. Of course, that probably wouldn't make me take them off.

"Sort of. It was easier to work there without sand in my toes." I said, somewhat embarrassed.

"Makes sense. Well, how did it go?" she didn't hesitate getting straight to the point.

"It went fine, I trained an apprentice there, like I was supposed to. He's very good now, he was partially trained by the time I got there. They were right, they needed someone else. Me training someone there and offering my own help at the hospital-"

"You worked while you were there?" she hissed, and I couldn't help but be taken aback.

"I wasn't supposed to?"

"Sakura, you're a high ranking Medical Ninja. We should have gotten paid for every piece of work you did, regardless of how long it was." she explained, staring me down with her gaze.

I sighed. So, this missions wasn't entirely for helping them out. She wanted money. She must have known I was going to help out, and I shook my head.

"If we ask them to pay us for my work, they'll be paying way more than they can afford right now." I muttered, hinting to her that I'd worked well over a lot.

A groan met my words, and the Hokage leaned forward to place her elbows on her desk, sticking her folded hands in front of her face. She looked upset.

"Your mission is more than complete. Suna should owe us now, for what you did."

"Can't we just say I was being charitable, like this was supposed to be in the first place? Friendly? Helping our allies? It's not like I got hurt in the process." I explained. Even though I was wrong, the emotional pain from leaving that dreaded sand hole was still the worst pain I'd ever felt.

Hopefully she would never know this.

"But you could of, that's the issue."

"I didn't though."

"Sakura think of the facts here. You know how much you get paid-"

"I refuse a lot of the money I'm offered."

"-would be getting paid, then. You may do it freely here, but in another village?"

"I don't know what you want me to do. Go back and demand payment?" I said.

A fist roared down and crashed into the desk, leaving a simple indent. Her brute strength was horrendous, just like mine, and I knew that what she just did was about as simple as lowering her hands. Just a little more forceful, because she was irritated.

"If I am to ever send you on a mission like that ever again, which might as well be _never_, do not be as foolish as to toss out your skills empty handed. Do I make myself clear?" her words dripped out like poison, and I knew she was well beyond upset. Her tone proved this.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." I responded professionally. Unfortunately, I was used to her temper. And my skills were almost matched to her's, her age was getting to her. I was still growing.

"Leave." she said finally, and I moved out of her office as fast as vanishing in thin air.

I bounced across the rooftops quickly, almost violently, upset that money was still the main thing Tsunade looked at. That wasn't the reason I was sent, of course. But anything can be related to money, so she says...

I landed on the ground and walked from there. I wandered through out town for a while, meeting up with my friends around the village. We conversed, but my mind was always elsewhere. Distant.

My irritable thoughts vanished as soon as I began talking to them, but I wasn't normal. I was unhappy. Thinking of Gaara was the only thing that brought a brighter, warmer expression to my face. But it didn't take long for that expression to die. Gaara wasn't here, and he never will be. It didn't take much to remind me of him, and eventually as time went by, so did my patience.

I couldn't mask this forever.

I decided to go home as soon as I couldn't tolerate it. The memories of him were connected to my waterworks, and I knew it wouldn't take long for me to start crying again. I was right, too, for as soon as I'd gotten in my house I could practically feel the tears hitting my cheeks. But I wasn't crying. The emotions weren't as powerful, and I was still able to move around. That much I was grateful for.

I moved to my room quickly, my hands finding my bag I'd been trying to avoid for the last five hours. I didn't want to work in the hospital today, and so the rest of my day had been planned out for me. Sit at home, and mourn.

I opened the side flap of my bag where the cinnamon sticks were, and they exploded into the air with a tantalizing smell. I froze at how powerful the smell was, and immediately I shut down. I didn't cry, I didn't speak, I just sat there. I fiddled with the stick, the smell all over my fingers by now, remembering when I'd stolen them a few days ago.

Three days. That was all.

I opened a pouch along my skirt, contemplating on whether putting the scented stick in their or not. As soon as I'd opened it, something small and compact dropped out, falling onto the carpet inaudibly. I thought perhaps a Kunai, but it was far too tiny. I picked it up.

It looked like the exact same pendant Gaara had around his neck. This couldn't be it, though. I put my chakra into the sand for him to keep so he could keep track of us. Then what was this?

I ran my finger along the teardrop shaped pendant, the sand inside it sitting at the bottom. As soon as my finger touched in, I could feel something in there. Some type of energy. It was definitely chakra, but it began to move inside its container. The energy was familiar...

It was Gaara's chakra. He must have stuck it in there.

The pendant rolled to the center of my hand, placed protectively by my palm. Water blurred my vision, and I realized this was the last gift from him. Probably ever.

Miles and miles away was where the love of my life sat. Maybe in as much pain as I was, but, will he wait for me too?

Does he think of me as much as I think of him?

* * *

Yay Lemons.

Yay Torture. :c

Poor Sakura. I know that pain, too.

And it was really the worst emotional pain I'd ever felt.

A family member dying is probably worse, though. __

Haven't dealt with that yet.

I'm doing something new next chapter.

Let me know what you think.

I LOVE MY READERS.

THEY REVIEW.

hinthint


	10. The Other View

Well. Enjoy. I'm really busy right now. x__x

I hope this satisfies everyone I've kind of let down, since I haven't been writing a lot.

And for that, I'm really sorry. :c

Now I'm going to go shopping. xD;

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now. I own the plot line and that alone. asdfghjkl;

* * *

I disgusted the High Council as much as I disgusted sitting in the work room all day. I usually found myself waiting for the paperwork to finish themselves, or never return once I'd finished them. But it did. It always fucking did. It was as faithful as sand, which was the only true faithful thing to me. There was one other thing, as well. And I couldn't get it out of my head.

The entire meeting drawled on like an endless murmur, and I watched the wrinkled men speak amongst themselves. Never to me. I refused to speak unless needed; it wasn't even worth it this time. This wasn't important. Finishing my work and getting out of here was important.

_She_ was important.

As soon as that never ending thought returned to me, I glanced away from the faces of the Council and to the window. My thoughts carried me to a familiar place. A place I'd only been introduced to a few months ago. For the past year I'd seen the door to that place, but now I was inside it. And I couldn't get out.

I'd liked her for a year. I'd waited for it to pass, like another one of those weird, annoying feelings. But it stayed, and it stayed for a long time. I didn't know the feeling, it was foreign, and I didn't like it. I was _lured _to it. As soon as that day happened about two months ago when I found out the girl I'd begun to love actually returned the same feeling, except _stronger_, I found myself actually afraid. I couldn't control it, I wanted to kill her.

I almost felt like a monster again.

I learned very quickly it wasn't something to be afraid of. It was the best feeling I'd ever known, and the feeling I'd misunderstood my entire life had finally been opened up to me. I understood it now. I learned to act myself around her. I could act weak and even vulnerable, taking my guard down only around her. It was strange. And I missed it.

I glared at something in the distance as I spoke; twirling sand around my fingers as I got lost in the endless place my mind was trapped in. The place was memories of her. Of us, together, like we were a week ago. Had that much time gone by since then?

"That takes care of it. Do you agree that this meeting is finished, Kazekage-sama?" someone's voice asked, and it was probably Mynra. I glared away from the spot out the window, still trapped in that god forsaken place. I only nodded.

As soon as the chairs moved against the floor, I was gone.

The sand carried me to the roof of the building I'd spoken with her the night of the party. There was no way in hell I would have gone, no matter what Temari would've done or said. Bribery wasn't in my standards.

The wind chilled me as soon as I was outside, and I covered my skin with the warm sand like an invisible blanket. A blanket I would have secretly taken off around her.

I buried my hand in my hair, resting my head against my palm and shutting my eyes tightly. This was all too fucking much. How long would I deal with it before I went to the Hidden Leaf Village and brought her back myself?

Nothing felt right anymore. I refused to go back to my own house, the aura of her still lingered there, and I didn't want to feel any of it unless it was actually her. I was smart to have practiced hiding my emotions all these years, for it came in handy more than ever. If anyone knew I was this pathetically weak inside now they wouldn't look at me the same. And I couldn't just kill them, either, it wasn't that easy anymore. I had to protect them; it was the only way they'd look to me.

Although, killing something sounded like a good idea right now.

And just when I think of it, Kankuro _would_ pop up. Which he did, I could sense him from my guard clones around the village. He was close. Unfortunately he was my brother; he wasn't that easy to get rid of. Killing used to be an option, but not anymore-

"Gaara." his voice spoke from beside me. I could see him from the corner of my eyes.

I didn't say anything, but I raised my head expectantly. What did he want now? Isn't it obvious I want to be alone? Being alone was impossible nowadays.

"The house takers want permission to clean your side of the house. It's been abandoned for a while, and it's possible someone could've broken in. Plus, it's getting stale." his words slurred, and I could sense the small sting of fear that was always hidden behind his words.

"No one is allowed." I snapped, looking up. Hadn't this been clear?

"Then why don't you?" he asked, unmoved by my reaction.

"I have no reason to."

"It's your home though. It has your things in there, have you been wearing the same clothes for a week?" he scowled, almost disgusted. I closed my eyes. What a dumbass.

"I moved my wardrobe upstairs. I don't have any reason to go there."

"You just don't want to."

"There's no _point_." I hissed.

"Not unless she-"

I didn't waste a second. I was up with my hand curled around his fat throat in a matter of seconds, using some of my chakra to help lift and launch the puppeteer onto the roof we were on. His fingers gripped my arm feebly, and when he hit the hard rooftop I heard him emit a painful grunt. I smirked with satisfaction, watching his expression squirm.

"You're crossing the line, big brother." I said coolly, almost possessively.

There was a time I wished Shukaku had stayed inside of me. But if he was, this relationship with the girl would've never happened. I closed my eyes as soon as I'd though of her. Again. There was nothing I could do to get it out.

"Tell the house keepers no. Tell Temari no." I snapped, releasing the choking hold I had on him. His hands had begun to tighten, and I was beginning to feel his life flicker before me. It was all too tempting.

Kankuro rose from his spot, coughing a few times, his hand caressing his wounded throat. His eyes pierced me, and I didn't look back.

"It was better when she was here."

My sand began to rise as soon as my temper did, but before I could strike, he'd vanished. Once I knew I was alone, I sighed. Heavily. I wish things were as simple as they were back then. People left me alone, they lived. People pissed me off, I killed them.

I had a purpose now. To protect these people I wanted to kill. To be honest, I couldn't care less anymore. I had another reason to act "good" now; I didn't need these people anymore. I just had to wait, right? That's what she said. She'd come back.

I don't think she realized how badly this fucked things up.

I lowered my head and drowned myself in my thoughts, and as soon as I felt a drop of rain I was gone again, back inside the building I'd lock myself in daily.

_Rain._ Again.

I stood in front of the giant window behind the chair I usually sat in, staring as the sun began to set behind the giant rocks that served as mountains beside Suna. To the left was a huge stretch of pale sand that led to more maroon rocks and a path to Konoha.

Small drops of rain, probably four total, stuck and slid down the window. It was a strange sight, but it was possible for it to drizzle every one in a while.

I ended up sitting in my chair and turning my back to the rain. I stared at the stack of papers, which wasn't really that much, while my mind played around in that _place_. Subconsciously I took a sheet from the top and inked the pen, filling out the paperwork and reading the giant paragraphs that needed to be read thoroughly.

Time went by slowly. I had to fight to finish the paperwork, or at least half, before I decided to take a break. And my breaks usually consisted of me staring off and thinking of what the hell I was going to do. I was in a bad situation.

Eventually the stacks of complete papers were even with the incomplete, and I took a blank one and began writing. I had been playing on writing to her, but every letter I tried to write never turned out the way I wanted it. Maybe I should get someone to do it for me. No, that wouldn't work – she would know.

I grabbed the paper I was writing on and crumpled it furiously, pushing it aside and grabbing another sheet. Again I wrote, pondering on what to say. Why did this have to be so damned difficult? I got two sentences down that worked, and got back to work to finish the rest of the paperwork. I would finish the letter afterwards.

But as soon as the paperwork was finished and I was back facing the letter, the sentences looked ridiculous and I threw it away with the rest of screw-ups.

I growled lowly and got up, my mind made up as soon as I'd thought of it. I opened the two wide doors that blocked people out from walking in the room, immediately greeted by the girl outside. When she looked up, her expression was blank and her eyes were tired, but as soon as she saw it was me she changed her look completely. Blank turned to surprise, and her tiredness turned to liveliness.

"Kazekage-sama! How are you this evening?" she cried, her smile now a wild grin.

I gave her the most boring, careless look in the world.

"Hn," my reaction came, cold, pointless, and I walked passed her without looking up again. I hated fake, extreme happy women that masked themselves around me just to look good. I could always see through it, they were horrible at it.

I flowed down the stairs quickly, my gourd heavy on my back and my hair probably a complete mess. I didn't look at anyone as I turned to head towards the three rooms in the back. I hesitated around my door, tempted to go inside, but pushed myself to continue to my eldest sister. I didn't knock as I opened the door, I invited myself in.

And at the last second I had a feeling that knocking might just be a good idea, because it wasn't often people came barging into her house. Especially me.

By then, it was too late.

As soon as I was on the ridiculously decorated doormat that usually beckoned me to wipe my feet, a few ninja stars came hurdling towards me, and in instinct my sand came up to block it. It was a bit of struggle nowadays because I had to control the sand; it didn't do it on its own.

A fist came hurling towards me, and I grabbed it barely. A quarter of a second off and I'd be going to the hospital right now. Maybe.

My sister, wrapped in a towel with her wet hair trailing past her shoulders, glared at me with a venomous look. She huffed as soon as she realized it was me. I looked down at her, just a few inches taller than her, as she glared back.

Then, my eyes slipped, and I realized how... Uncovered she really was. I shut my eyes, and opened them to look up at the ceiling.

"Temari put some clothes on. _Please_." I threw in the last word out of desperation. The lack of clothing was disgusting; I really didn't want to see the results of that towel slipping.

"I was in the process of doing that when you barged in," she snapped, huffing now, as she yanked her wrist out of my grasp. I continued staring at the ceiling, even though she glared at me for a couple seconds before turning to stomp off to her room.

I couldn't resist a smirk.

A couple minutes later and she was out in a t-shirt way too big for her and a pair of overly sized sweatpants. She ripped through her blond hair with a fat brush, trying to fix the snarls. I leaned against the counter, taking off the serious expression I'd been wearing all day, and heaving a dark sigh.

"Why are you here?" she asked bluntly. Just like me.

My expression was bleak, somewhat torn, and I fiddled with a stream of controlled sand around my palm. I didn't know how to piece the words together. This wasn't about the letter, it was about everything.

"Temari. You were right." I spoke with my normal voice. It was relaxed, but full of sorrow.

She stopped brushing her hair and put her arms down. I was still looking up, but I was lost.

"I know. But what are you going to do now? You can't exactly fall apart." her voice was gentle and helpful. Even when I was a little kid, the time I still wanted to kill her and she was deathly afraid of me, the voice of my older sister always calmed me, just a little bit.

I brought up something in the back of my mind.

"I've been thinking about sleeping." I murmured, glancing away from the blank spot on the wall I found myself zoned out on. When I saw her expression, it was full of horror.

"You fool. Don't you dare think of something as stupid as that! Gaara, you'd be putting yourself at risk for never waking up. Do you want that? What would happen to Sakura?"

The sound of her name paralyzed me, and I flicked my eyes away from her face as soon as I could make myself move.

"She said she'd come back. I just don't see it happening, though. I don't want to just sit here." I explained, opening myself up like a book to my sister.

"You're a mess, Gaara." she breathed, taking a few steps forward and putting her hand on my shoulder. She rubbed in affectionately, a sad smile adorned on her expression.

It was true. I really was.

What _was_ I going to do? Maybe I could send someone to Konoha to check on her. Maybe I could send message to the Hokage to ask for more assistance. But then we'd have to pay a lot of money, and the village can't afford that.

Maybe I'd pay. I'd pay for her to come back. I could hardly afford a month's worth of her teachings, but it would be worth the bankruptcy.

"And she said she loved me more," I breathed, shaking my head. I couldn't help but release a breathy laugh, almost as if saying "how wrong could she be".

Temari stared at me, still rubbing my shoulder worriedly. She could act so much like a mother sometimes. I flinched at the thought, and she lowered her hand.

"Maybe I'll just go train." I said out loud, somewhat subconsciously, lowering my hand from the counter I'd been resting it on.

"Train right now? You? Yeah right." she laughed loudly, shaking her head and turning.

I stared.

"What?" I muttered, somewhat following her.

"Look outside Gaara."

"Is it raining?" I asked, too impatient to go outside and check.

"No. It's snowing." she snickered.

_Snow? _

My eyes left the back of her head and searched for the giant window in her living room. I moved quickly to get to it, and as soon as I looked through it, my mouth opened partially.

She was right. Small, cotton-ball sized flakes were floating down from the pitch black sky. Yet it was so bright in Temari's house you could see each one fall, and there were a lot. They'd already begun sticking to the sand and creating a thin layer of snow on the ground, and I watched for a long few seconds before tearing my eyes away from the scene.

I went to the door that led to her backyard. It was right next to her huge window. I yanked it open quickly, and was greeted with a freezing breeze of wind and a few snow flakes. I shut it instantly.

"Fuck that," I hissed.

"Don't let the warm air out!" Temari's voice cried, and I grumbled in response.

I left the back door and headed towards the bathroom to make sure none were sticking to my face or hair. As soon as I walked in to turn the light on, I paused, realizing the last time I'd been in this damned bathroom...

I turned around in my spot to leave.

I didn't even say goodbye. I left Temari's place and hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. Everything was so damned boring. Paperwork was finished, I couldn't go outside, Temari was... well, boring too. I didn't want to deal with Kankuro.

Then, another idea popped in my head. An unsafe idea, and I immediately put it off until another time. Visits to Sakura's apprentice were a bad idea.

Instead I found myself upstairs in the room again, hunched over a piece of paper. I decided to write what I felt, regardless of how it sounded. She wouldn't care. I wish I would have decided on this a week ago, when I wanted to write her first. I wanted to write everyday.

The letter ended up being two pages long. Front to back. I rambled on, mainly about how and when she'd get back. I didn't write too many obvious feelings down, but there were several hints.

I didn't say who it was from at the bottom. Instead I wrote the word _Sand_. If that wasn't a hint enough, well, she was on her own.

As soon as I was sure the letter was without error and it met my satisfaction, I sealed it in an envelope and on the back wrote "Haruno". I had someone retrieve it and leave instantly to deliver it, which should reach her village within the next twenty-four hours.

But as soon as that was finished, I was back to let my mind wander in that _place_. All the memories, they were torture. Like the first day she arrived...

It looked like she'd been fighting to keep her eyes open, and she didn't have a single clue as to how I watched her every movement, absorbing the moment like it was my last. How I looked at her, and how I fought to keep that shine out of my eyes. To make it look like I was only looking at her just to speak. But I wasn't.

I noticed how exhausted she was. I saw that the left side of her hair was a little messier than the rest, and how her emerald green eyes radiated the brightest out of every color in the room. I noticed the wares of her travel, the dirt on her clothing, the sweat on her neck. Yet she fought to stand tall and proud, to not dishonor her village. I was surprised.

And then that night I couldn't resist standing on the sidelines anymore.

*x**x*

[**Night Two**; Gaara's View. Location: **Rave Party Rooftop**]

I fought to keep my eyes away, and I knew this feeling was getting the better of me. Nothing gets the better of me. I controlled everything now. But it wouldn't go away, it was fucking annoying.

I glared at the figure lying on the roof in the distance. I knew exactly who it was; the magenta colored hair gave it away. Except, she was alone. Completely god damned alone.

Why?

The curiosity ate at me. I clenched the arm rest beside me, trying to pry my curiosity out of me. It didn't work. I resorted to simply try and look away, which only worked for a few long seconds before I got too worried and look back.

I remembered Temari come in earlier, trying to get me to go to this... Celebration Party. I knew this was why the people from Konoha were here, but it didn't matter. I wasn't going. She'd gotten on my nerves so much I literally threw her out the window, and she didn't come back, to my relief.

But the girl. Haruno. _Sakura_. She was going, and I saw how guys got when they drank. It worries me to know she could get hurt, and I don't know why.

I couldn't keep my eyes away. It got to the point I couldn't just sit and watch anymore. I needed to at least get closer.

I vanished out of my chair immediately and appeared on a rooftop outside, somewhat closer to the huge roof she was on. I moved closer, silently, letting the light breeze and my sand work move me closer. I decided not to use a clone, for whatever reason it was beyond me. I continued. I got so close that I knew the slightest sound would be heard and startle her. I was within ten feet of her. I stood, silenced, almost invisible.

Except for the fact the entire town could see us if they looked up.

I didn't get a good look at her yet, and I decided I might as well now before I leave. Or, maybe I should say something. I made a make a split decision, and stood up to my full height. I folded my arms, staring down at her.

She was _beautiful._

Temari had attacked her with make-up, but it didn't look bad. The outfit matched her perfectly, and her face looked absolutely peaceful. And, soft. I was so close I could touch her. I _wanted_ to touch her.

A feeling shot through me instantly. It thrilled me, and I felt a smile widen on my face for a second. I knew any longer and I'd get caught. I didn't have any more time left, unfortunately.

I took a deep, silent breath, and put on a mask of seriousness before I spoke.

This was the prologue to everything.

"Haruno."

[End of **Rave Party Rooftop**]

*x**x*

[**Day Four**; Gaara's View. Location: **Training Grounds**]

I smirked from where I was hiding. Why I was toying with her, I didn't know. Before it had sounded fun, but I was actually shocked at how far she was actually taking this. I'd soaked the sand in my gourd beforehand with water, only wanting to test my skills with hardened sand. It was a painfully difficult task, but I wanted to master it. I wanted to push myself.

Now, I was really pushing myself and enjoying myself at the same time.

I'd laid out a maze in front of me. Inside it was the girl I was falling for more and more everyday. Just moments ago she'd been on a rock meditating. Now she was trying to escape.

It was a small, simple, harmless game. I had no clue it was spiraling out of control.

I shook my head every time she reached a dead end. When she'd jumped, I moved quickly to grab her and force her down. When I heard her cry out, my eyes widened, and I almost dropped everything right there. I'd even taken a step forward.

But moments later, she was on the move again.

When she reached the end and made a run for it, I surrounded her with the walls again. Until she punched through it and shattered it to pieces, furious and stressed at the fact that she couldn't get out. I was completely shocked; I hadn't realized how strong she was until now. I hadn't exactly seen her show her strength in front of me, either. But now I knew. She was a whole new breed of Medical Ninja.

My expression became serious, and I concentrated on keeping her in the maze. To test her to her limit, regardless of the consequences. Not only was it extremely entertaining, I wanted to know how strong she seriously was. She continued slamming through the walls, using her chakra as her true punch, and slamming down the walls little by little. Then, she got faster, more rapid, until it was getting to the point I couldn't keep up.

I moved away and made sure she wouldn't reach me. But I was caught off guard when she started moving too fast. Surely her hand must be broken by now?

I fought with the wet sand to raise if faster. Make it even more constricted, so it was hard as rock. Nothing fucking stopped her. And then she blasted through the last wall, not leaving any time for me to make another in front of her. I'd sapped up so much chakra and strength I couldn't move as quickly as before. I was being stupid.

Then, she collided into me.

The force made me stumble back and hit the ground. My head was guarded by the dry sand I'd brought up at the last second, I'd decided on abandoning the wet sand. Although the girl was tiny, she was a bit heavy.

She was also right on top of me.

I couldn't close my eyes. I held myself up with my hands, the woman I'd fallen for on my lap and almost between my legs. _Sakura_. My fingers trembled against the sand, and I lay frozen on the spot, against the hot desert sand that usually warmed you up no matter how cold you were.

I was dead frozen.

She was so close, and she looked directly at me. Those bright, gorgeous green eyes stared down at me, and I did nothing but just sit and stare back.

For a second she looked confident, but then her expression changed to fear. Really, really bad fear. Her face was half a foot away from mine, and all I had to do was lean in...

What the _hell_ was I thinking?

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" her words were soft, so perfect, and the lips that moved when she spoke were all too much.

And the air from those words reached my face, and that was more than I could take.

I inched away from her, sliding out from underneath her warm figure I so badly wanted to stay beneath for the rest of my days. Look at how this emotion had taken a hold of me; it's swallowed me like a black wave. I would never return to the surface.

I began summoning all the wet sand back into the gourd which would have to be dried out later. That took ages. What a stupid idea.

I realized how truly stupid it was when my eyes fell on her hand.

It looked deformed. Not only was it broken and gushing blood, the skin was torn and falling off. It almost looked twisted, and it looked so painful, I couldn't believe she'd fought that hard. Did she seriously feel that unsafe here to go that far?

Probably.

Furious at myself, I shut my eyes for a second and tried to act serious, even though I felt like shaking like a leaf.

This weakness was disgusting. It was a burden over my head, and I felt ashamed. I got up from my spot and reattached my gourd, staring down at her. She began healing her hand, the torn skin piecing itself together and the bones cracking into place painfully.

A moment later, she was up and moving. She was moving fast, too, and I caught up with her in a heartbeat. I reached out and grabbed her arm with my hand, without even thinking, and saying words that shouldn't ever have been said.

"Why are you running?"

As soon as those words came out, I regretted it. I sensed the pain that shot through her, and I squeezed her arm.

_Fuck, what do I do?_ I thought to myself. I'd hurt her, bad.

She'll never trust me again. Way to go, Lord Kazekage!

"I'll talk to you in a bit, Gaara. I'm not feeling too well." her words trembled, and I knew she was crying. I couldn't even hold on anymore.

Guilt welled up inside me like a balloon, threatening to pop. She shrugged out of my grasp and took off, and as she ran all I was able to do was look at the back of her pink head.

I stood there, unable to move. She ran past the guards, which were my clones, and through their eyes I was able to get one last look at her. One last, tiny look. I saw her eyes.

They were red and overflowing with tears, her cheeks wet and teeth grinding together to hold back the chocking sobs that still came out.

I looked at the ground before me, ashamed, thankful I was alone.

But so damned guilty, I didn't know if I could ever move again.

_What have I done?_

[End of **Training Grounds**]

*x**x*

[**Week Two, Day Six**; Gaara's View. Location: **Balcony of the Kazekage Tower**]

The rain was pouring down like it was the last rainfall we were ever going to receive. It was as if a god was up there with a giant bucket, dumping it over the clouds and onto this little desert. I leaned against the railing of the balcony, alone, watching it and absorbing the humidity and breathing in the strange scent rain always seemed to give off.

I rubbed my fingers together to feel the moisture, and it almost felt sticky, in a weird way.

Lightning cracked in front of me, lighting up the sky for a second and sending a jagged, yellow-white light across the sky. Seconds later, thunder boomed, rumbling everything to the inner core and shaking up my insides.

I was outside for quite a long time by myself. Eventually, I wanted to go back inside. I loved dry weather, not damp and muggy; I'd had enough of it already. Plus, it was cold. It was ti-

The door suddenly opened, and I glanced over to look who it was.

I stiffened immediately. Whatever joy I'd been feeling turned into a mixture of terror and nervousness. This had turned into something too awkward, we couldn't be in the same room together unless it was quick and business like. Even than it was difficult.

"Am I bugging you?" her angelic voice asked, and I felt my stomach leap at her voice.

_Yes_, I thought to myself, feeling my insides turn inside-out. I shook my head quickly.

She'd grabbed a chair and set herself in it, sitting a bit a ways from me, her feet on the railing. I watched the rain and thunder flash and boom throughout the sky, her presence making it difficult for me to relax.

But after a while, I warmed up to her, and I was glad for the hidden smile that widened on my face. My anxiety was beginning to diminish into nothing.

I was still comfortable even when she'd moved closer. My heart exploded on the left side of my chest, and for once it just felt like we were two best friends, enjoying a thunder shower.

I wish it was just that.

"Does this happen often?" she suddenly asked, and I glanced at her from the corner of my eyes. Her pink hair was smooth and fluffier from the moisture, and I began to wonder what mine had turned into. I imagined the worse.

"No. It hasn't thundered like this in quite a while." I responded, shifting my weight onto my other leg so I could continue standing comfortably.

Lightning clashed again, and I swore I saw her jump. I was tempted to look over and smirk, but I kept it to myself. Why couldn't this be easier?

My arms were folded and rested on the railing, and hers were hanging off comfortably. I tightened my arms a bit more when I heard her exhale, trying to keep control of my emotions. I caught myself thinking of the _place_ again, always seeing the entrance, and never knowing what was inside.

I wanted to know what was inside. Bad.

"Beautiful." I heard from next to me, and the voice sounded so content, so happy, I could not resist looking over. Her teeth chattered, and when I glanced at her fingers they were shaking as well. It didn't even seem like she noticed how freezing she was.

Before I could get lost in the word she'd spoken, I found myself leaving the balcony and out the door. Of course I was coming back, but I wasn't going to have her stand out there and freeze to death.

Why did I care so fucking much?

I vanished in a fury of sand to my room in the section of my house, right in front of the closet. I looked through the clothing, trying to find anything warm and comfortable. Everything was my robes, and I didn't want to give her a robe of mine. That would be a little... Strange. And obvious, I had the most expensive and rarest robes. Anyone would recognize it.

Then in the back I saw a plain black sweatshirt I never wore that I'd received from Kankuro. It was supposed to make me look more "casual" when I wore it. I didn't want to. It was thick, and the fabric was extremely comfortable. I snatched it immediately.

I returned in a fury of sand and walked through the door, nervous for a second that she'd left, and felt a wave of relief flood through me when I saw her there.

I approached her, the sweatshirt in my hand and held out to her. She didn't catch on.

"Sakura," I said, my voice almost breaking when I said her name.

It took a minute for her to take it, but when she did, she looked a little embarrassed.

"T-Thank you." she murmured, holding it against her.

"Hn." I said blankly, feeling the thrill rise in my stomach from hearing her voice again.

I heaved a sigh.

She was obviously cold, that alone was obvious. I took my place back beside her. A satisfied smile widened on my face for a second when she pulled the coat over her head, but as soon as she'd poked her head through the top the smile vanished back into a straight line.

I didn't want to close my eyes. I didn't want to waste a single second not looking at her, even if it was at the corner of my eye. She was going to be gone in less than two months, and she was probably never going to come back.

At this thought, I subconsciously moved closer, and I don't think she noticed because her face continued facing the sky, lost in a trance the lightning seemed to make. Then, she looked back, and the tiny distance between us was practically gone.

And my blood was racing.

She didn't care we were this close? Or what if she didn't notice? What would happen if she did notice? I looked down for a second, nervous, worried, not really knowing what to do.

I've portrayed myself to be a serious, blank person for years. Yet deep down I was really just like everyone else, feeling every emotion just like them. I just hide it. This emotion, though, was becoming impossible to hide.

Suddenly, Sakura gasped, and my head snapped over to look at her. Her eyes looked up at me, somewhat shocked, and she must have realized how close we were. I think I realized how _really_ close we were, for my face was barely a foot from her's.

My expression softened without my control, and I stared at her, shocked at the beauty written all over her face. If only I leaned forward, it wasn't that much.

"I forgot, I told Temari I was only coming up here only for a little while. She's probably waiting for me." she said, leaning away and fidgeting with my sweatshirt she was wearing. I didn't want her to leave, but, I glanced away. It was a reaction of her being so damned close, I could feel my heart hammering in my ears.

This was almost too much.

"Do you want this back?" she asked. I nodded, and she continued standing there. Probably contemplating why I said no, or if she should give it back anyways.

I watched the millions of raindrops fall and hit the ground, the roof, the railing and any other object outside right now. It made a soft humming noise, almost like a soft murmur. It was soothing, really, and I almost went in a trance again.

Until I realized Sakura had touched my sleeve.

By the time she looked over she was extremely close, and my head turned to lock eyes. Something was written in her eyes I couldn't read, but it looked familiar. And it looked happy, yet panicky at the same time. If she was happy, that's what mattered.

But what the hell was she doing? She wasn't going to...

I was wrong. She was.

"What-" I started, the need to grab her exploding in my hands. I know what she was doing, and I wanted it to happen differently. The want to hold her erupted in the back of my mind, and I didn't want to close my eyes. I didn't want to miss any moment.

Her lips pressed against the side of my face, which had turned hot.

I wanted to kiss her.

My lips opened for a second, debating this, thinking about it.

_You have one chance to do it, now do it._ I snapped at myself, staring at her.

I fought for the courage.

_You're losing it!_ I yelled mentally.

I leaned closer, barely, my hands clenching. She didn't even notice.

In the end, I just looked down, defeated. She didn't want me like I wanted her, that was simply a friend kiss. If it was something else she would have done something else. I wouldn't ruin this. Even if we were friends, I wouldn't lose the relationship we have now, even if it's something lesser than what I truly want.

"Good night, Gaara."

Her words burned into my ears, and I didn't watch her leave. She didn't look back.

I put my forehead on the cold railing, and shut my eyes.

Things will never be as I want them to be.

[End of **Balcony of the Kazekage Tower**]

*x**x*

[**Week Three, Day One**; Gaara's View. Location: **The Houses**]

"Sakura." I muttered under my breath, staring at the lump on the bed.

I didn't know what made me come here, but I had a pretty good guess on what it might be. When her response ended up being silence, I moved to sit at the end of the bed, keeping somewhat of a distance from her. I knew it was her underneath, her chakra flow matched it. I used my sand to pull the blankets off, not daring to use my hands.

Her head moved on her pillow, and I heard someone move behind me. I sighed.

"Temari, leave." I demanded without turning around.

"Gaara, let her rest." my older sister replied, probably trying to stop me.

I couldn't. Sakura had disobeyed orders, and I needed to find out why. Even though I was concerned, I still needed to know. I'd begun to accept these feelings, regardless of how... annoying they were. I forced the door shut, blocking Temari out and preparing to use force if she tried returning.

She didn't.

I picked the pink haired girl up with my chakra infused sand, gently sitting her upright so she was beside me. I made sure she wasn't too close.

She looked away from me, upset, so I couldn't see her face. But before she was out of my view I saw a slight shine on her eyes. It was caused by wetness.

She'd been crying.

"Sakura, look at me."

I saw her flinch, but she didn't listen. I tried not to act concerned, I tried to act like this was just for strict professional reasons, but that wasn't really it. I was seriously worried.

I leaned forward to try and get a good look at her, but she just turned her head away.

_Come on Sakura, don't make me do this,_ I thought to myself, sighing.

I sat up from my spot nervously, not really wanting to use force. I stepped in front of her, and she turned her neck to the side more, desperate for me not to see. I sighed heavily.

As I stared down at her, I fought myself internally. It was like trying to win two battles. One was trying to get her to listen; two was trying to make myself help her. Because honestly, being around her now a days was way too difficult, but being away from her _worries_ me. Nothing worries me. I care for myself, only myself. The same goes with love. I can kill anyone, defeat any enemy, and win any war. I could get anything I want.

Just not her.

I moved my hand forward and gripped the bottom of her chin. Lightly, but with enough pressure. Before I realized what I was doing, I froze, and she stared straight at me. Her eyes were wide, bloodshot, and full of so much pain. Too much pain. Pain I've had nightmares about and it was in the person I was beginning to actually...

This damned woman was making everything difficult, and my head keeps spinning uncontrollably. Touching her was like touching something so perfect, or fragile. Almost as if it was an honor just to lay a finger on her, or a privilege just to be around her.

Suddenly, she shuddered, and I saw another tear fall from the corner of her eye. I watched it until it disappeared from sight, and shut my eyes. It was becoming to be too much.

"Why are you crying?" I practically demanded.

Her answer took so long to come. I took deep breaths, and she continued to sit in silence. The emotion that was slowly exploding inside of me caused my hand to shudder, and I forced it to be still. Then, it shook violently again, and the want to hold her was slowly becoming a need-

"Gaara," she muttered, and her delicate tone made me drop my hand to my side.

"Gaara-"

"Answer me. Who did this to you?" I forced out, finally deciding to act myself. And myself was angrier. She was glaring at me now.

"That's not your concern." she snapped, becoming defensive.

"It is when I have a Ninja from Konoha who won't leave her room." I retorted, folding my arms. I'd gotten her now.

"Look, I'll be fine. What did you need earlier?" she gave in, but she still wouldn't look at me.

"That doesn't concern you, yet." I snickered, and I saw her flinch.

"You didn't answer me." she stated.

"I chose not to answer."

"Then what if I said you were going home tomorrow?" I hissed. This was becoming a fight now. Her head snapped up, and anger was beginning to take over her sadness. She wiped the tears off her cheeks. I wouldn't realize until later that it should have been me doing that.

"Then I'd say you're being immature for finalizing your decision over _this_."

The anger in her voice flared, and I was completely caught off guard. She stood up, probably not intentionally getting in my face, but nonetheless she did. I glared at her.

"And so what if I am?" I snapped, even though I wasn't being immature, there was no change even if I was. I saw her look down, and before I could think as to why, she made her next move.

"Then they were wrong picking you as Kazekage!" She cried, jerking to the side and heading toward the door quickly. Without thinking my sand that had already been on the door hardened, and I watched her struggle with the handle.

There was a pause, and suddenly her fist collided with the door, shattering it off its hinges and sending it flying down the hall. Hearing the slam of it colliding into its now broken victim, which was unfortunately Temari's wall, she stormed passed her and my brother.

Why the hell was she causing such a commotion? This was all for attention. Typical hormonal female.

I think for a second before continuing the "conversation", yelling at her from down the hall.

"That doesn't escape the fact I am. Answer me." I followed her almost silently, although I really didn't need to be.

"Of course I want to stay! But I'm leaving tomorrow, remember?"

Okay. Now she was just being bipolar. If I could kill her, I would. This was taking way too much effort. She lurched for my door, which was her only exit.

"Not if you tell me what the hell is up with you." I continued, following her with ease.

"Why the hell does it concern you so much?" she demanded.

Before I could answer she slammed the door behind her, and although I expected it to break, it didn't. It was good knowing she had some self restraint.

"If she's going to destroy the whole house, just send her back to Konoha," Kankuro muttered, obviously worried she'd continue onto his section of the house.

"Just let her get her anger out. She's going through a lot right now. It was just a door-"

"And the wall that now has a gaping hole in it-"

"Enough." I hissed, and both of them went silent with a quick withdraw of breath.

"I'll deal with her. It's my responsibility." I spoke coldly, never putting a tone of enthusiasm into the tone of my voice; it was always a bit of a whisper. I couldn't change it.

I moved towards the door, and opened it, seeing her moving through out the hall. I was surprised she didn't try and make an escape, so I continued where we left off.

"Why? Am I allowed to be concerned in my guests at all?" I smirked, showing a side of me that I only showed when she and I were alone. Unfortunately, I knew why.

"Oh so you are concerned!" she laughed sarcastically, and even though the laugh was practically and most likely hatred, I felt the goosebumps rise on my arms yet again.

She was lurching throughout the house like a trapped wild animal, but suddenly she froze in the living room. I could smell the panic in her emotions, and it was strange although Shukaku was released from me I could still sense that emotion in people. I heard a low growl, which kind of surprised me. Then, taking my chance, I lunged in beside her.

Her breathing hitched.

"Of course I am. Now tell me." I hissed, summoning a bit of sand to control her in case she decided to run again. I was done chasing her.

All she did was stare at me, and probably think – which was completely nerve racking. I masked myself easily, hiding whatever emotions that were trying to creep onto my expression.

"You used to never care." she suddenly said, for some reason she was staring elsewhere.

"Stop running and tell me." I demanded, getting straight to the point.

"You don't want to know why," she said under my breath.

"If you talk, I'll let you stay." I said desperately, too late to realize what I'd accidentally let slip.

"Liar. You'd let me stay anyways," she muttered, and I sighed irritably.

"True." I admitted.

She grinned instantly, and I saw the tears in her eyes reappear. Her emotions were on fire, and this whole "argument" was turning into something else. It felt faintly like the other night, when there was thunder and rain.

"Tell me." I asked.

"I can't." she said too quickly, and instantly shut her eyes.

Then, she turned around, and faced me.

"Saku-" I began.

"Don't worry about it. Just send me home."

The words she'd just spoken were spoken in such a different tone; it was almost like she'd completely changed. And then she stared, with an expression so soft, the smile that matched it made the weakened heart in my chest leap. The way she looked at me, the way it felt when she did, and how for some reason it seemed like she was getting closer, was becoming too much.

My cold expression died, and realizing I'd finally lost the ability to hide this from her, I began to back away. I was getting ready to _run_. This was something I hadn't ever done before.

With perfect timing, she turned around and bolted down the hall I'd chased her through. She disappeared behind the door and back into Temari's section of the building.

I felt the rise of my heartbeat echo in my head, the warm panic that built from the soles of my feet to the top of my head slowly begin to fade away, and surely enough my self control was returning. The mixed expression that was on my face was masked over by my usual icy one, and as soon as I could make myself move, I practically vanished from my spot to chase her. I practically warped through the door to Temari's, and found her gone.

I tried finding a scent, and I found out quickly that her's was mixed with Kankuro's. My emotions got more violent, and I felt myself grind my teeth. Furious, I vanished in a fury of sand, following the scent as quickly as I could.

It vanished a hundred feet past the house, and only a skilled trap ninja would have been able to do that. It was as easy to figure out like two plus two. It was my brother's work.

The fury bubbled inside of me like my former demon, and although my usual self was calm and secure around people, I was completely alone now. I had no reason to hide anything.

And just like a flick of a switch, my raging anger destroyed my calm and secretive mask, and I released a furious scream, just like I used to before my change into Shukaku. Blood thirsty and furious, I abandoned Sakura, and left the village.

[End of **The Houses**]

*x**x*

[**Week Three, Day Two**; Gaara's View. Location: **The Kazekage's Room**]

I sensed fear as soon as that woman walked through the door. Actually, I sensed it all day, dwelling deep inside of her. There was something she was hiding. But I didn't care.

I watched her every move, how she put her hands behind her back and laced her fingers, picking at her nails nervous. How that fake smile was real this time, making this hopefully fake feeling inside of me resurface. I no longer had the control to hide it anymore, and instead of feeling the love I should feel for her, it was replaced was anger. After she'd run off with Kankuro that day, I'd gone and slaughtered many of a village far west. Many I don't even remember the faces of, and probably would never know, because of me they don't even have a life anymore.

"You summoned me?" she cooed, sitting down in one of the giant chairs in front of me.

"Hn." I grunted. I had nothing else I wanted to say. Or more like I couldn't really say anything else. All I did was stare, and argue with myself mentally.

_Just send her home_. I thought darkly, glaring at her. Absorbing her presence, staring at her beau- annoying smile, which looked more like a smirk. The girl stared right back, still nervous and scared, but challenging me.

_If you send her home you can return back to your normal life, and she'll be miles away._

But the sound of "miles away" wasn't as comforting as I'd hoped it would be. As I glared, I realized the effects of sending her away.

I'd lost the war already.

"I haven't made a decision yet," I spoke beneath my breath, shutting my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I looked at her yet again. Her eyes said nothing besides her own anxiety and the curiosity of what my answer would be. She was always alert, and had all the right expressions at all the right times. Struggling between selfishness and what was best for her, I sighed. Gripping the anger inside of me, I wanted to do what was worst for her, which was probably make her stay here. Away from home, for me to harass and follow. But that's something I would have done when I was younger. It was different now, but not because I was older.

It was because I would put her first before everything.

Knowing now that the answer was clear, I braced myself for the torment I was about to endure. Trying to mask my painful expression the best I could, I thought for the words to say, and began to-

"Can I help make your decision?" Sakura said suddenly.

Paralyzed for a second, I found myself nodding. She smiled.

"I want to stay here."

Those words echoed in my head, and the pain that bubbled inside of me faded into that of relief. I didn't waste anytime; this was almost too good to be true.

"I thought yesterday you told me to send you home?" I asked.

"Yesterday I said that because I wanted to leave, it was best for me. Or at least I thought it was. I was wrong. I realize I was being selfish." she spoke quietly, almost too quietly, but my ears would have never missed a word she said. And those worse she spoke were ridiculously ironic to what I had just been thinking moments ago.

"Wrong about going home... What changed your mind?" I couldn't help but ask.

I could tell she was shaking, and I leaned forward intently.

"D-Do you know what it's like to love someone?"

I blinked, shocked. _What?_

I thought for a second, and suddenly I realized what she was talking about. It was none of my business as to who she loved, but I sure as hell was going to kill who it was. I'd probably kill everyone here just to find out.

_No. _I snapped at myself mentally, finding restraint instantly from those words I'd just thought. I needed to find control. Suna came first.

"Why do you ask?" I asked darkly, no longer weak to the point my expression was completely uncovered. She noticed this instantly.

"For once, Gaara, will you talk to me like a friend? You don't have t-"

"_Why_ do you ask?" I interrupted, not wanting to play her little game today.

She heaved a frustrated sigh, and just shook her head.

"Forget I said that. Let's stay business like. Am I staying or not?" she put on the same mask I did, and I felt the jealously bubble inside of me. I spoke before thinking.

"Yes." I said instantly. Whoever it was here, he was going to have to face me.

When she stood, I did as well, standing a few inches taller than her and staring her in the eyes. I walked around the desk to show her to the door. I stopped about a foot away.

"I'll go tell Hiryu, then."

My heart dropped. I froze in my spot, my expression frozen along with everything else. I didn't know what to think. The tips of my fingers turned white from pressure, and slowly began to turn white. The blood drained from my slightly tanned face, probably making me look like a ghost. If I looked exactly was I felt, I'd looked dead.

For the first time in years, I wanted to cry.

What was appropriate for this situation? What do you do when you find out the person you've been struggling to have for years picks someone else over you in a matter of a few months?

I hated what she'd done to me. And she didn't even return it. I should have refused the feeling long ago, and continuing loving only myself. I was lying to myself now, saying I hated her. Telling myself I didn't care, and this feeling was only hate. But it wasn't.

And right as I started feeling my emotions return, and noticing the strongest emotion was unbearable pain, I noticed her lift her hand out. Looking back at her eyes, I don't understand why the hell she didn't notice my reactions. Was she fucking blind? Luckily, she must be.

She stared me dead in the eye, and cautiously, I found myself slowly lifting my hand to touch her's. If this had been a few years past, I wouldn't have had enough respect to do it. Now I had more than that, times a million. She squeezed my hand, and I opened my mouth to breathe.

As soon as the breath was absorbed, she'd launched herself into me.

Her arm somehow found itself around me, and she'd officially broken through the unbroken defenses. I stared past her, obviously shocked, and around me I could feel the edges of reality start to darken slightly. Was I blacking out? I fought to say conscious, I wasn't going to let this moment pass by quite yet. She squeezed me, and my heart fucking exploded in my chest, right below where her head was resting.

"I'm sorry." her intoxicating, sweetened voice said.

I found it difficult to breathe, and I fought for the courage I could always find, even at the most difficult and dire of times. I looked town, trying to look past her magenta hair and Konoha maroon headband to her pale face. I wanted to know the expression on her face, the look in her eyes. The smile or frown on her lips.

Using the courage I'd mustered, I shook when I wrapped my arm around her, attempting to hold her. I'd never held anyone. And no one had ever held me. It was clear why people did, and I knew I would always love this girl. Regardless. I would still kill Hiryu by tonight, though. Even if they did find out and stripped me of my Kazekage title, there was no other option.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked in a soft whisper.

My whole body vibrated in shutters, and her form suddenly pushed against me more, and I lifted my head upwards, looking to the ceiling. My feelings exploded, and exhaling sharply, I clenched my hand in fist beside me.

"That I didn't realize this sooner." she muttered into me.

"Realize what?" he pushed for an answer. Something inside of me suddenly gave me hope, which was the thing I hadn't felt yet. Not once did I think she liked me. Not once in all those times I looked at her expressions, looked in her eyes did I see any love towards me. The hope inside of me grew more, and I waited for her next response.

"Kankuro told me." her voice was quiet, nervous, and she was clutching a piece of my robe with her hand. My breathing halted.

This was a game. Kankuro was toying with her to win with Temari. It was as clear as black on white. The hope inside my diminished faster than I thought possible, and my expression turned dark. I can't believe I'd actually though for a moment she'd liked me, I'd seriously considered it. If she had truly liked me, the answer would have been different than that. Not "Kankuro told me". It would be something like, "I love you".

Thinking of those words made me flinch, and the wounded heart inside my chest seemed to tighten itself in a painful squeeze. All she did was pity me.

As soon as I thought of those words, I realized how true they were.

I grabbed her shoulders, and shoved her back; the animosity towards her and my brother was overflowing. My anger level was rising dangerously. Extremely dangerously.

"And you're pitying me?" I snapped.

"Gaara-" she started, but I continued.

Then, I thought some more. Why would she come to Konoha? Temari didn't want her here until now. Kankuro did. He would have said something in the beginning. Kankuro had spoken to the Hokage a couple days before my letter, and I noticed a second letter shortly after had been sent to Konoha as well. He'd spoken to Sakura.

There must have been something in it for her.

"You've known from the beginning. You've been toying with me ever since." I growled.

"No! Listen-" she cried, panic rising in her voice.

"I'll kill him." my words were spoken with such bloodlust, such furiousity, I released her and felt the empty shell of the demon that used to be inside of me be replaced by a new one. It even had a name.

_Heartbreak_.

[End of **The Houses**]

* * *

Somewhat of a short chapter.

And I have to say I'm EXTREMELY sorry I haven't updated.

There's so much shit going on in my life, I abandoned this story for a while.

But I had a Narutard moment the other day with Gaara, and instantly found myself opening the file to this story and typing away.

After a long pause in trying to find some music first, of course.

So yeah.

Really sorry.

I was also hoping I'd get more reviews, but, apparently this story isn't all that great yet.  
Although my last reviewer probably rekindled my adoration for this story the most, and gave me the most motivation after my Narutard moment.

Damnit. I'm trying really hard.

I figured you guys would like a Gaara view up until the huge fight scene.

I was going to do more, but, I really don't want to re-write EVERY scene with them together.

It's kind of a neat, but. A pain in the ass. xD

_Please_ Review!


	11. The Solution

Oh boy.

Here comes the good part. :D

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now.

[**Present**; Back to Sakura's View. Location: **Konoha/Sakura's Apartment**]

_[Two weeks later]_

Soon the days that passed seemed to last forever. I had lost the ability to keep up to date with anything; each second seeming like a minute, and each minute seeming like an hour. I found myself spacing out at work, my eyes glazed over and my mind off in the memories of the past. A past full of warmth, sand, and _him_.

Konoha was so moist and green compared to the dry, tan colors of Sunagakure. My home had been replaced in just three months, and this same feeling I'd felt for Sasuke was exploding in my rekindled heart. I never thought this could happen again.

The problem was it's twice as bad this time.

The other nurses were beginning to get frustrated. Tora had actually managed to hit me over the head, and I hadn't noticed it. Literally. That was impossible for a ninja, I would have sensed it. More like I _should_ have. My instincts were being worn, I was losing my touch.

Other than that, I wasn't eating, and I was losing a lot of weight I couldn't afford to lose. I noticed when I'd jumped on my scale at home, only to realize I was ten pounds lighter than normal. I'd re-weighed myself three times, and then gone to the Hospital to make sure it was right. Unfortunately, it was very right.

I stopped going to Naruto's after the fourth day back. I'd gone there every night, choked up, almost in tears and venting wildly to him. There were a few times I'd actually gotten sick as well, and even though many people threw up as it was, I don't puke hardly ever. I'd slipped a few times and almost spoke of the night we'd made love, and each time I did the look in Naruto's eyes would turn to one of jealousy. He was my best friend, and his huge heart could only handle so much... He didn't deserve it. I had to stop and talk about something else.

And thanks to a certain sneak that had gone behind my back, I wasn't allowed to do surgeries until approved by Tsunade. I was a high level Medic-Nin, and I was more than just furious when hearing the news. I couldn't argue with Naruto, he'd asked Tsunade to do it. When I'd found out it was him, I was pissed. I was guilty before, now I could ignore him without regret. He didn't even give me a warning, or tell me why.

Now I was back at my home, and since I wasn't allowed to go to the Hospital, I was locked inside. Whoever dropped by was ignored, except for Tsunade. I'd lost a lot of earned respect, and disappointed just about everyone. Why would I want to leave? I'd let everyone down. I'd let my emotions in the way, even though the mission was completed. At least that much I could take credit for, my last mission was a success.

I scrubbed the noodle that had hardened on the plate angrily, trying to scrape it off without having to soak it. Snapping the plate, it cut my palm, and with a few colorful words I tossed the third broken china to the garbage and healed the wound with a quick brush of green chakra and talented medical skill.

The blood that dwelled in the sink soon disappeared with the rest of the water once I pulled the drain. Giving up on the other dishes after breaking so many of them sounded like a good idea. I was dressed in the same outfit I wore in Sunagakure almost daily. I had no reason to, I wasn't planning on training or going anywhere, and many of my friends and fellow teammates had said the trip changed me. They were right. Now those friends were blocked out.

All the free time around the house allowed me to keep this place spotless, and finally it had gotten to the point that I was running low on house supplies. Too low. I had one roll of toilet paper left, my conditioner was just about empty, and I had nothing to drink but water. A _week _locked up would do that to you.

Desperate, I reached for my phone and dialed Ino's number. After two failed attempts to reach her, I then dialed for Hinata. Then after that, Sai. I shouldn't have been surprised to find each one of them were unavailable, they had caller ID. They didn't want to talk to me, and I wasn't going to go as far as calling Naruto.

I should have answered the "doorbell" a couple days back when Kakashi gave me a lecture outside the window while I was laying in bed. He'd been the only real contact I had, but he would have broken in if I hadn't opened the window. At least the curtain had been in the way, and I know I'd let him down, too, just by how he acted. I couldn't call him, he was always busy. A had no choice now.

I guess it was time to leave.

I pulled my hair up in a ponytail and to replace my headband was a thin, stretchy piece of maroon cotton, which was used for pushing your hair out of your face. I had a maroon shirt on and a black skirt with some slip-ons, I didn't plan on being out long. I would have worn my Suna outfit, but mostly everyone knew the reasons for me wearing it, and shook their heads at me. I'd stopped wearing my Leaf Village headband after being banned from the hospital, and since I no longer went out in public I never cared to wear it.

Konoha would always be my true home, I was a leaf ninja for life. But life held little meaning now a days, and due to the condition I was in, everything held little meaning. Well, almost everything.

I didn't bother checking my reflection in the mirror before I opened my front door. I know what I looked like; Complete shit. But when I _did_ open the door, it was blinding. I should have left later in the day, when it was darker.

I cast my arm over my face to block as much light as I could, squinting as I did. It took a minute to adjust to the light. Finally, I tightened my purse around my shoulder and began my shopping adventure down the bustling street.

I had my gaze to the ground in front of me almost the whole way there. I knew the way to the market by heart, and even though Konoha was a big place, I was completely used to it. I knew where almost everything was, and unfortunately, everyone knew who I was. I was almost positive people were giving me looks and whispering things behind my back. Eventually I would get sick and tired of this, but for now, I just wanted something to drink. Desperately.

When I got there I snatched a cart quickly, darting to the cold drinks section and finding my objective. A small bottle of my sparkling blue raspberry drink, which I'd been obsessed with at a young age. When I popped the top off and took a swig, I could feel the memories and flashbacks come flooding back to me. It was almost strange, I'd hated the drink ever since-

"Sakura," an urgent voice broke through my jumbled thoughts, and someone had grabbed my arm. I looked over to see a familiar face, and instantly felt regret.

It was Tsunade. Anyone else I probably wouldn't have cared too much about, unless it was Kakashi or Naruto, and maybe Ino, but _Tsunade_ and I hadn't talked since the day back from Suna. The motherly look on her face was overwhelming, and after a few seconds of staring her hard in the eyes, I looked away.

"You know very clearly why I'm here. I was planning on breaking down your door this afternoon to finally talk to you, but it seems like I won't have to do that. Just tell me, what in the hell are you thinking?" her hard words slammed down on me, and the guilt continued to take over my emotions.

"I don't know." I muttered subconsciously.

"You don't know? Sakura, where did I go wrong in your training?"

"Lady Tsunade, you didn't-"

"Obviously I must have. Don't toy with me. I was certain I taught you damn well, but you're proving me wrong. You're a lot stronger than this, damnit. You've gone through this once before, I can't believe you're letting it get to you again. You need to let it go. Or what do you want me to do? Give in and send you back? No." she continued, officially skinning my hide and hanging it up to dry.

"I don't know what you want me to say." I murmured, putting the drink in my cart and continuing through the isle.

"I don't want you to say anything. I want you to be yourself again, instead I'm seeing the weak little girl I took into training years ago. I'm seeing me when I gave up on everything after I lost the two most important people in my life. No one died, Sakura. You just made a foolish mistake. _Let it go._"

I pushed the cart down the isle and she followed. People from afar watched, shocked to see the Hokage out of office, upset to see me in public, and concerned to see her chewing my ass out. They were probably expecting a fight, I don't know why they weren't keeping their distance. But it wasn't like I was going to fight back anyways.

"I have every intention to find Naruto right now and have him do this for me. Talk to me, or I'll make you talk." she threatened, not backing down.

"Maybe if you gave me my position back at the Hospital I might act more lively."

"Sakura, within about a six day period you went from the top ranked Medical-Ninja to I would have to say the worst. And I know you have the skill and potential, you're letting your emotions get in the way. What do I have to do to make you think clearly?" she asked.

I snatched a gallon of apple juice and put it in the cart. She continued following me as I weaved through the other isles, grabbing whatever looked good to me without thinking much on the cost or what it was. I tried to be quick about it, but everything looked really good.

"Just give me some time. That's what worked last time, and a swift kick to the head." I said with a dead chuckle, and she sighed.

"You need a skull bashing beating, in my opinion. And I'd do it myself, here and now, if I wasn't afraid you were going to shatter at a simple punch. You look awful." she muttered, shaking her head.

"Thanks," I heaved under my breath, throwing some canned soup into the pile of food and avoiding the ramen section.

"Do you even have enough money for all this?" she asked after a while.

"Yes, I don't spend much on anything else." I lied, biting my cheek nervously. I had no idea if I could afford this, and if I couldn't, I was screwed. Finding a huge case of toilet paper, I threw that on top. It was enough to push a laugh out of her.

"That's why you left. Here, move. I'll push the cart." she unfolded her arms, putting the toilet paper back and throwing a better brand in. Motherly, of course.

"I'd say no, but you'd probably get it for free." I muttered, following her obediently. I wasn't up for arguing anymore.

"Sakura, I could get all of it for free. Just get what you want, it's on me. You need help, and even though everyone else has offered it, I'm forcing it." Tsunade snickered, and I rolled my eyes.

"What happened to being mad at me?" I asked my bipolar teacher.

"Oh I'm still furious. Once you're back to normal I'm going to break every bone in your body, and make _you_ heal it all." she snapped darkly, and I went silent. She probably would.

Once we got to the checkout, she put all the food on the belt and I watched the cashier scan everything little by little. I began helping, but Tsunade pushed me away, so I decided to lean back against the cold wall behind me.

My mind was always off in some different dimension now, and I knew exactly where and why. Part of me was left behind in Suna, and I haven't been normal ever sense. I'm sure if I went back I'd be perfectly fine, but not here. It would take years for me to be normal again, I could promise that.

Suna seemed so comforting to me. I felt like I could do almost anything there, and the closest thing to a family was there. Kankuro, who'd helped me through a lot. Temari, who acted like the big sister I never had, and... him; Who'd become the most important person in my life. I felt everything for him, and what was so stressed was the fact he felt everything back. He loved me. And I loved him. It was so simple, it was terrifying.

I never though it was possible.

After Sasuke I realized where I'd gone wrong. I'd fallen for someone that I desperately wanted to be mine, regardless of the flaw. I was used to flaws, especially since his biggest flaws was his revenge and hate towards me and everyone else. I'd actually looked passed that, somehow. I was crazy. Yeah, Gaara has some flaws, but it was _nothing_ compared to Sasuke-

"What's with you and cinnamon all of a sudden?"

The wall behind me was cold, but Tsunade's words made me freeze. I looked over at her with terrified eyes, for some reason afraid that she'd found a soft spot connected to Gaara. How she found it, I needed to know. I went to her side, and looked at what she was staring at.

"Half of your cart has it in it. Cinnamon pop-tarts, cinnamon oatmeal, cinnamon cake, cinnamon air fresheners...? You even got just pure cinnamon from bulk." she named everything off, prying apart the cart to find several other cinnamon flavored food. I stood there shocked.

Tears weld up in my eyes instantly, and I brought my hand to my mouth, covering it shakily. I reached back to find something for sturdy support, feeling myself begin to fade from consciousness. When she picked up the cinnamon spice, the smell went wafting by my nose.

All the memories flooded back to me. Standing in his back yard, dancing with the fireflies, stealing the cinnamon stick from his bathroom, laying beside him at night and breathing in his distinctive smell. It was too much.

"Sakura? Shit, Sakura!" Tsunade asked, and I saw her drop whatever she was doing and lunge towards me, grabbing my arm. I didn't feel it. The edges of my sight began to darken.

Then, the world went black.

~**~

"... Come on, just wake up. I can't sit here all day every day, I already tried. I'm sure somewhere in there you can hear me, and you have this whole time, and you're sick of my rambling, and.... Yeah. So, just wake up already!" a familiar voice echoed near me. As soon as I awoke, I knew instantly what had happened.

It was Naruto next to me, I was pretty positive. Which wasn't terribly bad, but what was worse was I was in a Hospital. And I was the patient, again. Fucking _again_.

Tiredly, I forced my eyes open, seeing his blue ones immediately. They lit up when he saw mine open, and that wide grin plastered to his face. I couldn't help but sigh, and smile, even if it was just a little.

"It's about time. I was worried you weren't ever going to wake up, but I guess it's a good thing you didn't for a while. You needed sleep, apparently, from what Granny Tsunade said." he continued, leaning closer to me and showing off that intoxicating behavior of his. It annoyed the hell out of everyone, and I'd give anything to stab him right about now.

"How long have I been out?" I asked immediately.

"Well, about a week-"

"A _week?_ What? Get Tsunade in here, now!" I cried furiously, sitting up from my spot and getting light headed. My hand went to my face instinctively, and I exhaled sharply from the migraine that had suddenly pulsed painfully through my head. And without warning, I suddenly turned and vomited over the bed and into the pan I'd seen at the corner of my eye.

"Whoa, Sakura! Relax, lay down!" Naruto lurched forward, pushing me away from him and grabbing a cloth that must have been laying nearby and giving it to me. I wiped my mouth once, but started pulling the sheets off.

"No you don't, lay your ass back down." he hissed, forcing me down. I glared at him, forcing the chakra to my hands and trying to push him away. He struggled for a second, but in the end I was the one struggling. And for the first time since my trainer, I failed in a strength contest.

The shocking defeat was enough to make me lay down. If I couldn't push Naruto away, I was obviously in pretty bad fucking shape. Breathing heavily, I forced myself to take deep breaths, and suddenly I found myself with my hand over my face and tearing up quickly.

"Sakura, relax, it's alright. I don't know what's going on, but, you're fine. Tsunade already figured everything out, you're going to be up and out of here in no time-"

"Actually, no." Tsunade's voice came from the door. I looked over at her, my eyes red, and my hands shaking.

I was officially defeated. The little strength I had was used to push myself into a sitting position, and to curl my hands into fists angrily. I didn't understand what was going on, but I was going to find out soon, even if I had to make them.

"Just tell me exactly what's going on, because there's more to this than there should be." I snapped, glaring daggers at my old mentor and best friend. No one dared to speak this rudely to the Hokage, but due to the relationship I had with her and this situation, I didn't care. She stared at me, and after hesitating for a moment, she turned to shut the door. She was dressed in her usual attire, but also with a hospital scrub. She hadn't acted as a Medical-nin since she had to heal Lee. Tsunade moved over to where Naruto stood, grabbing his chair he'd been sitting in and using it for her own use.

And suddenly, she grabbed my hand.

"Sakura, listen to me. You're very, very sick. You've lost almost thirty pounds since your mission in Sunagakure, and you're down to a threatening seventy-five pounds." she spoke gently, and Naruto watched her intently, horror written on his face. My jaw dropped.

"You're staying where someone can take care of your for a while. I can't allow you to be living by yourself for a while, do you understand me? You're going to die if I don't force this. And I know you're going to be pissed, but you're staying in the hospital for a while. A long while." she continued, and I instantly squirmed in my spot.

"Can't I just go home, and have someone there monitor me?" I asked desperately.

"Usually, yes. But I need you here for a while." she pushed, staring at me hard in the eyes. She was hiding something, she never acted this way.

"I don't understand." I breathed stressfully, looking at Naruto for a second.

For a second, Tsunade continued sitting down, but then she got up to move to the counter. Naruto and I exchanged expressions for a moment, but she was back in the chair no more than twenty seconds later with a large folder in her hands. Digging through the papers, she grabbed one and showed it to me.

"Tell me what this is." she demanded, and I leaned forward slightly to read it. They were numbers and information on someone here in the hospital, and I looked at the name. It was _my _name, but the data there was completely wrong.

Then, it clicked.

"T-Tsuna-"

"Sakura, relax. Breathe." she muttered, closing her eyes, and squeezing my hand. The color was draining from my face, and my hands were numb.

"What is it? Is she sick? Is she dying?" Naruto asked desperately, looking at the paper and obviously unable to read it.

"She'll recover. But if she doesn't do something soon, she has more problems to worry about." she muttered. Naruto growled.

"What are you talking about?!" he yelled, trying to grab the paper.

"Look at this sheet. See this? The information here looks weird, doesn't it? Everything seems a bit too small compared to her size. Do I have to explain everything?" Tsunade continued. Tears were flying down my face, and I felt my emotions explode inside of me. I grabbed a pillow and clung to it, trying to calm down.

"And so what does that me-"

"Naruto, I'm fucking pregnant, alright? That's what the sheets says. The information is small because it's not me, it's what's inside of me!" I cried, burying my face in my pillow for a second, breaking out into violent sobs that shook my entire frame. When I was finished, I looked back up to my mentor and best friend. Her expression was full of sorrow, and his was complete panic.

No matter how mad I was at Naruto, I could always let it go and forgive him. He was always there for me, and always would be.

"Tsunade, I want Gaara here. Please Tsunade, please. Get him here in anyway possible, as soon as you can. Please, I'll do anything! I don't care anymore! He deserves to be here, and you damn well know it!" I begged. I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed into the pillow, rocking back and forth. My heartbeat on the monitor was racing. I felt like breaking something. I needed someone next to me to make sure I didn't, I needed my strength.

"I know you're dying for a mission right now, Naruto, but now with this the only "mission" you're going to have is taking care of her. Do you understand? I can't watch her all the time, and I need someone I can trust." I could feel her stand and turn to him. He didn't reply, but I assumed he'd just nodded his head or something.

"You fail if Sakura-" Tsunade began.

"She's not going to die, and you better believe it." he suddenly snapped, and after a long, awkward pause, I could hear faintly the sound of Tsunade leaving the room and shutting the door behind her. It's strange how much Naruto had matured.

No more than a couple minutes afterward, I decided to talk.

"Naruto," I muttered into the pillow messily. Somehow he understood, because instead of feeling emptiness I suddenly felt his hand on mine where Tsunade's had been, and he was brushing my hair back.

"Yeah?" his voice said above me. My hearing was muffled. I raised my head tiredly, my eyes sore and wet, and my entire body weak.

"I need to eat something. Anything, everything. Now." I demanded. I squeezed his hand shakily, and he squeezed it back.

"What do you want me to-"

"I know I'm in a Hospital, but Tsunade knows what I need just as well as I do. And you getting it would be a lot easier than asking another nurse who should be helping others." I muttered tiredly. I sat up slowly, and pushed the pillow off of me.

Running my hand through my hair, and looking outside at the light for a second, I turned to look at him. I'm sure I looked horrifying, and like a complete mess. I had to change that. Everyone was right, I must be a huge disappointment. If they hadn't found this out sooner, who knows what could have happened. But, any second could be too late. I had no time to waste.

I looked down at my stomach.

"I'm not sure if I'm the best person to shop for you." he muttered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Listen to me. I'm going to give you a list of things to get. Get paper and a pen if you have to, I don't care. Just remember everything, and get them. Go to Tsunade before you leave to get Hospital money, I know you don't have any. I don't have the power to give it to you. Alright, ready?" I demanded, and he hesitated, and suddenly jumped from his seat to retrieve something to write on and a pen. When he returned, I made him write everything down. From organic juices to some semi-fattening healthy food, vegetable chips and fiber packed energy bars, the list was ridiculously long by the time I was finished.

It may have been too much, but when he came back, I had my own little pantry of food. Once the nurse came in, she practically had a heart attack. Outside food was strictly forbidden, but, I was a loophole. It was strange. I was able to do whatever I wanted as long as I didn't leave.

After a couple days passed, I became used to Naruto being in the room almost constantly. It was a bit awkward though, I really did enjoy my solitude. I couldn't do anything without being worried someone would see me. You have no idea how uncomfortable it is to hold in gas for hours on end until you finally had the courage to go to the bathroom. What's worse is when you finally do have the courage to get up, you might pass out.

I had a lot of trouble sleeping that night. I kept Naruto by me constantly, and he finally put me to sleep by talking, which is what I think I needed. I was terrified the entire time that the baby was going to die, and that I'd fucked everything up. Hell, I terrified that there was a baby inside of me. The realization had finally hit me that night as well, and once I'd accepted the truth, I'd pretty much went into silent hock.

Gaara had gotten me pregnant. I had his child in me. He, or she, was alive, and growing, and soon to be healthy. It has to be healthy, it can't die. I won't let it.

But the most important thing was, it was _our_ child.

What scared me the most was the fact that it could die any second, and with that, so could I.

[**Half a Day Later**; Back to Gaara's View. Location: **Suna/Kazekage Office**]

_~***~_

Arguing had always been a waste of time to me, and once Kankuro had attempted to pick a fight with me for the third time today, I finally silenced him. The innocent way. Just the lack of oxygen to the brain trick, and he passed out unconscious outside the door. I don't understand why he never gave up. I made a clone take him to his house, but his _house_ was actually inside this giant building. It was cut in thirds, with mine in the middle, Temari on one side and his on the other.

Never would I set foot in my room other than to shower or change clothes, or possibly take a break from work. Now, it's the only place I wanted to be. It was where I could be truly alone, the office didn't cut it for me anymore. Too many people.

And sometimes it still felt like she was laying behind me, sleeping, almost as if her presence were still here. I knew she really wasn't, and I think that's what made everything worse.

The whole damned city knew, too. I could hear the whispers, and the constant pestering from Temari made me avoid her completely. Kankuro always irritated me, and his attempt to speak with me earlier was just like it was every time. A failure. If I wanted to be alone, I was going to be. That was that. Except for the exceptional times the city was in a crises or there was urgent news.

I fell back onto the sheets of my bed, upturning the smell of my sickeningly sweet laundry detergent and probably a tiny mixture of sweat. One of the house keepers had washed the sheets almost instantly after... _She_ left. I wanted to kill the maid. It took a lot of effort _not_ to kill her, and the only satisfaction I'd gotten out of it was her terrified expression. She didn't faint or anything, she just ran. I haven't seen her since.

There was nothing to do for a while. Ever since She'd come and left, there's been a lot of extreme weather. Rain, and even snow. Like now, there was snow on the ground and the villagers were finding it awkward to work and move around in. They just shut themselves in and waited for it to melt.

Of course, it would be _after _She left that I had all the time in the world. It gave me a little extra time to take care of the cactus plants in my Greenhouse that were beginning to slowly wither, but that wouldn't satisfy me after a while.

I'd debated on going to find Kankuro or Temari after a few hours, make sure everything was in order and chaos wasn't strewn across the city. But I hated cold weather as much as I hated sugar, I wasn't going outside for a while.

It was times like these I wish Shukaku was still inside of me. At least killing passed the time, instead now it gave me a disturbing feeling afterward. No longer satisfying, unless I was furious. I was fully human now, with a poisoned mind. I looked up to the mirror on my wall.

The black circles around my eyes were as dark as ever, my blood red hair messy and strewn about, and the look in my icy blue eyes had completely changed. Years ago when I'd fought the Uchiha, our eyes were the same. Pain, anger. Now they'd changed. It's shocking to see something so new and foreign in your reflection, you almost can't accept it. It was no longer pain I saw.

The reflection in my eyes was a mixture of yearning for the love I'd lost, and caring for my people in this city. Regardless of how cold I looked, or acted, or thought... I knew who I was. And it wasn't at all like it was three years ago. What I couldn't understand was how could She love someone who looked like this? I looked like a monster; She must be insane. I just don't fucking understand how or what she saw about me. It was so doubtful, it was times like these I worried the most.

She was miles away, and there was nothing I could do. She could be with someone else right now, forgetting about me. Maybe She'd simply just used me as a replacement for the Uchiha, and as soon as She'd gotten home She would try to hunt him down again like she used to.

I shook my head, avoiding my stressed expression, trying to shake the poisonous thoughts from my head. They were almost convincing.

I sat up as soon as the thoughts came pouring back, and I knew this time I probably wasn't going to be able to block it out. Darting to the door and yanking almost too hard on the handle, I exited my room and out of my house. I decided it was finally time to write to Her. I raced up the stairs, people on the lower level of this building staring and bowing as I went, but most were slightly concerned as to why I was in such a rush. I ignored them.

Ignoring my secretary's greetings, I lunged towards my office and shut myself behind the double doors. I practically teleported into my chair, and instinctively I grabbed a pen and a blank sheet of paper. My hand hovered over the page, my head tilted forward like I'm about to write a ten page letter to the Kage of another land. This was such a huge deal, it was completely nerve wracking. I put the pen to the paper, and suddenly realized something when my hand wouldn't write.

My mind was completely blank.

On my rushed journey up here I didn't even stop to think of what to say. How typical, and what was even more ironic was there was a million things I wanted to say. But how to put them down on paper, I had no idea.

I blinked, and dropped the writing utensil, leaning back against the chair and releasing a huge sigh. How disappointing. I smirked where I sat, knowing somewhere Shukaku was laughing at me. The demon may have hated me, but I know he got some entertainment out of events like these in my life.

It was then I heard a small tapping on the window behind me, like some little kid was knocking on it. I turned from my seat to look, and hovering on the other side of the thick glass was a tiny ivory bird. It pecked at the window again, urgently, and I squinted my eyes at it.

Then I saw on the front of its chest an all too familiar sign of a leaf.

Lunging forward, I opened the window, and it fluttered in quickly with lightning speed. It landed on my desk, a small scroll in its beak. It extended its wings, making a long trilling sound. The longer I looked at it, the more I noticed how unique the bird was. Then, it clicked. This was a summoning bird, its unique breed used for emergencies to deliver papers because it could travel at ridiculously fast speeds.

It dropped the paper and repeated its unique call, and without any second thoughts I unrolled the parchment and began to read.

**Gaara**, Kazekage of Sunagakure,

This is not a business related letter. For personal reasons, I request your presence is Konoha. _Immediately. _This concerns Sakura; It's an emergency.

**Tsunade**, Hokage of Konohagakure

P.S: Gaara, you have to hurry. It's possible she might not make it through this.

I felt reality slip for a second, just like a glitch. A second later, my heart was hammering, and fear was the only emotion I could feel. My mouth was forced open; My body demanding more air than I was currently breathing, and my chest was moving quickly.

Hyperventilation.

The letter didn't have to persuade me any more than it did. I snatched the paper I was going to use for Sakura and scribbled down a quick response, rolling it up messily and giving it to the bird. As soon as the bird took it and was in the air, I vanished from my spot. Appearing downstairs and in the middle of Temari's home, I looked around furiously, desperate to find her as fast as I could. My senses finally caught up with me, and I knew she was in her room.

I busted through the door, it was faster than teleporting. She was sitting in the middle of her bed, examining her damned fan like she did almost everyday. She probably expected me this time, she didn't try and kill me.

"Gaara, what the-"

"I'm leaving for Konoha. Take care of Suna." I stated, and without giving even a second to see her reaction or reply, I turned away.

"Wait! What's going on?" she cried, putting her fan down and reaching forward to try and grab me. I gripped the side of her door for support, clenching my other fist nervously. I didn't want to delay this anymore than I had to.

"I can sense your fear, Gaara. It's completely engulfed you... That's not like you. I know it has to do with Sakura-?"

I turned around in my spot, throwing my hands on her shoulders and shaking her. My voice trembled more than it ever has in my entire life.

"She's dying, Temari. I have to go. _Now_." I hissed, the tone of my voice changing drastically. It was almost normal. Her eyes widened, and she put her arms down.

"Read this. Show it to the Council. Tell Kankuro what happened, and you call the shots. I can't stay here and wait anymore, damnit!" I demanded, and without waiting for a response this time, I darted from my door and towards my side of the house.

I replaced my single Kazekage robes with my main outfit. Grabbing my gourd that I hated to be without, I attached it to my back, running out of my back door and leaping across the building tops.

Except, I'd completely forgotten about the snow.

I'd almost slipped when I landed on the icy rooftop, but I ordered my sand to covered the bottom of my shoes like nails, that way it gripped it. Flying towards the gates of Suna, I flew through them and my guards throughout the village disintegrated. Without sleep and anyone else slowing me down, this would be a quick travel. Even faster now that my motivation was Her.

To even think that she was dying was almost unbelievable. She just had to go and almost kill herself, didn't she? Tsunade didn't even say what happened. It ate away at me faster than I noticed, and I found myself running faster and faster. She could die any second. _Die._

Sakura may not be able to come back to me, but I sure as hell was going to go to her.

* * *

I'm trying to speed things up.

And this chapter is REALLY short, so I'm sorry.

I have a lot going on irl.

I hope I'm balancing everything well.

I need to delay some parts so it's not rushed, but not making everything drag on forever.

Let me know if it's like, "Uhh. Fail."

Also, please let me know your opinion on Gaara's view.

And if it's annoying switching back and forth.

_And,_ yes. I know. I wrote Gaara's view hella shitty this time. D:

I'm sorry. I was trying to hurry. u__u

I got a shitload of reviews last time.

_Thank you_. Seriously. That made me really happy. c:

There won't be a sequel to this, I'm sad to say.

But I'll throw in towards the ending a little "Ten Years Later" thing. xD

Review! :D


	12. The Unexpected Result

Well. I tried writing this fast, but, I have a very picky way of writing.

I need to be alone, for one. With lots of music.

And, whenever I'm alone, I decide to play Final Fantasy 13 instead of write.

But when my Fiance comes home from work, he plays FF13, which leaves me with nothing to do but write. Then, I'm not alone.

I force myself to anyways, but he gets curious and likes to watch sometimes.

Which kills all my motivation as soon as he looks over. Don't ask why. Just does. :c

SO. This took a little longer than expected. I'm sorry. x__x

And, guess what happens?

Just when I've finally written a sentence for this chapter a scary black spider decides to crawl around my nightstand next to me.

Of course, I launch the laptop, fly off the bed, shouting for Kenny to kill it as I go.

No worries; It's dead now. Smashed it with some paper on the wall. xD

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now.

* * *

_[Just a couple days after Sakura discovered she was pregnant]_

"... Who would've ever thought you could eat more than _me_." Naruto scoffed, his chopsticks hovering over his mouth as he debated on taking another bite.

Me, on the other hand, devoured twelve bowls of ramen. Naruto was stuck on his tenth. I have never gotten past my fifth bowl of ramen without puking. I didn't even LIKE ramen. The only thing that made me eat it now was the fact it was fattening, and, I wanted to know what it tasted like with cinnamon. Of course, right?

Cinnamon was going to be my taste of choice for the next nine months. It was also my smell of choice, I'd hung some bulk cinnamon that I'd bought from the store next to the bed.

It was the only thing that made me sleep.

I'm sure Naruto's pride was on the line. He shoved a few mouth fulls of ramen in his mouth, struggling to finish another bowl. I really didn't want to see what he was eating again.

"Give it up and just accept I can beat you at eating ramen." I bragged with a grin, folding my arms and piling my twelfth empty bowl next to his ninth. He groaned.

"We'll compete again when it's actually fair next time." he said under his breath, giving up on it and leaning against the chair lazily.

"It was completely fair! You're just a sore loser." I cried, glaring at him.

"I had breakfast already, you haven't. You cheated!" he whined, throwing his hands in the air like a little kid. I felt my anger throb in my hand.

Leaning over, I pumped the chakra into my fist and clubbed him once on the head. He flinched, and reached for the area painfully.

"Geez, Sakura-chan. Be nice," he muttered, lowering himself in his chair nervously.

"Hmph." I huffed, staring out the window at the village I'd grown up in. Konoha. I smiled slightly at the sight, the clouds had parted sometime earlier this morning and the sun had finally come out. Everything shined radiantly, some things maybe a bit too shiny to the point it was blinding, but at least it wasn't gray and cloudy. It was views like these I cherished in life.

But I had a second home. Although I preferred the trees and knew the territory here a lot more, my second home full of sand held the man that owned my heart. It was hard, choosing him over everyone here, especially since I've known the people here my entire life. I've already changed though, and I wouldn't be happy here if I was forced to stay. It wasn't like he was going to move here, anyways. He was the damned Kazekage.

Plus, I had his child.

"Naruto." I muttered quietly, lowering my arms so my hands rested on my lap. The blonde looked over, still rubbing the top of his head, but his expression showed concern.

"Hmm?" he grunted in response.

"You wouldn't be mad... If I left Konoha, would you?" I muttered, looking down. My heart tore at simply speaking those words, but what choice did I have? I wouldn't let my baby grow up having to see her father a couple times a month. I heard him hesitate.

"No, I wouldn't. But Sakura, I grew up with you. I'd miss you, and so would everyone here in the village. You are Konoha's number one Medic. The Cherry Blossom that pounds everyone to a lump of mush. I don't know if Granny would let you-"

"She has to, damn it!" I snapped, cutting him off. He didn't flinch, or cower like he was afraid I was going to hit him. He stared with a straight face, and I glared angrily at him.

Then, I few seconds later, I relaxed.

"Sorry. These mood swings will be the death of me," I mumbled, bringing my hand to my forehead.

"They'll be the death of everyone, if anything." he joked, and I couldn't help but smile before shutting my eyes.

I only looked up when I heard the door open and shut.

When I opened my eyes, I was completely taken off guard. My heartbeat quickened its pace instantly, and I leaned forward to get a better look.

"Hey Sakura. Miss me?" Mira asked, glancing at my heart rate. Her big grin replaced her professional smile, her fluffy red hair strangely shiny in the light from the window.

I leaned back, disappointed. My heart rate slowed, and I released a heavy sigh.

"Geez, apparently not." she mumbled, walking past Naruto and to the edge of the bed.

"Sorry. It's nice to see you," I laughed lightly, scratching a part in the back of my head irritably. "I thought you were someone else."

"You did last time too." she snickered, writing a few things down on the clipboard next to Naruto, who yawned lazily. She worked here in the hospital, and I was used to working with her. She was one of the few who were the same rank as me, except she only had simple, basic training as an on-field Ninja. She knows how to defend herself and attack a little, but that was all.

"Yeah. Sorry." I laughed again, sitting up and pulling the thin sheet of blankets off me just barely. These hospital gowns were awful.

"I'm sure you know just as well as I do about your condition," she said after she was done writing everything down. She set the clipboard on the table and grabbed a chair from the other side of the room to sit down next to me.

"I definitely do. I weighed myself when I was using the restroom earlier. But as much as I hate just sitting here, the less I move around the better – for now. I've gained about fifteen pounds. It's crazy, it's only been two days. And I've only puked four times." I grinned, and she shook her head.

"I'm sure at least two of those times were because you ate too much." she pressed, and I shrugged innocently.

"Yeah, well, I want to get the hell out of here. Any news on Tsunade's orders this time?"

"Actually, yes, to your luck. The Hokage said she still wants you here, but you're allowed to wear normal clothing of your choice and leave for two hours a day for the next couple days. You'll be given a couple more hours today to get some Maternity clothing for when you need them. No training, no extensive chakra usage. No leaving Konoha borders, and Naruto is still to be with you at all times. If these rules are violated, it's Naruto's head she'll be after." she explained, smiling. Naruto punched the air with his fist at first, until the end.

"Damnit, Granny..." he muttered, throwing himself back into his seat with a growl.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." I mumbled, feeling bad for him. I leaned forward in my spot and moved my legs under me so I sat on my feet.

"But hey, the more time, the better, right? You never know, I could be leaving." I pointed out, and Mira gave me a strange look.

"Leaving? Where?" she asked, looking interested.

"I want to move to Suna. I know, don't look at me like that!" I began, stopping when her expression changed to one of horror.

"But I have to, Mira. This baby inside of me is the child to a ninja there, remember when I left for my mission?"

"I know you got knocked up there, Sakura, but seriously think about this."

"Not necessarily! God damn, you make me sound like it was just some fling. It wasn't some one night stand, and I only did it once. I was planning on trying to go back anyways, baby or not. You don't even know the flipping father," I hissed, getting up from my spot and stretching tiredly. I was so glad I'd gotten enough rest the past couple nights, I needed it now.

"Then tell me. I assumed you got a little too wild at the party the first few nights and finally got pregnant." she mumbled. Is that what other people thought? This was Mira we were talking about, a really close friend. _She_ thought this way.

I hesitated at first, saddened by her words. I needed to leave soon, to get away.

"It's the Kazekage." I said, my head down. She looked up instantly, but I didn't catch her expression.

"You have got to be kidding me! The _Kazekage_? Sabaku no Gaara?" she asked, shock vibrating in her words. I looked around the room for my clothes, and saw them folded on the table. I grabbed them, ignoring her outbursts.

Mira just shook her head again from disbelief, and stepped up to stop me.

"Before you run off, let me take your blood pressure and everything. You know the drill. Also, here's a note from the Hokage to give to the cashier when the time comes later." she said, mumbling about Suna and babies underneath her breath and giving me a piece of paper. I exchanged glances with Naruto, and he gave me a sympathetic smile.

She checked everything, including my temperature and my breathing, writing all the results down on the clipboard. Halfway in it, she stopped to make fun of me. Of course.

"Man, you've always been muscly and bulky from training. You can hardly see your curves unless-" she began, and I smacked the back of her head.

"Watch it, or I'll have you sitting in this bed instead of me." I snapped, feeling my temper flare again. What was with everyone and being mean to me today?

I went to the bathroom to change into my clothes, and walked back out proudly, glad that I was able to actually move again freely. I glanced at Mira, and she gave me a thumbs up.

"Alright, alright. Get outta here." she smirked, flattening her hair.

"Finally. Naruto, come on." I grinned, and he returned it instantly.

I opened the window, and stepped out onto the roof. I took a deep breath of fresh air and tightened my hand into a fist. What in the hell were they expecting of me, to keep calm after being cooped up for two days? Did they think I was just going to take it easy and let this chakra building up inside of me go to waste?

Man, were they ever wrong.

"Keep up with me, Naruto!" I cried, and before Mira could stop me, I lurched forward and flung myself over the rooftops, smiling mischievously as I went. Naruto cried out triumphantly from behind me, and I grinned at his enthusiasm. Like I said, it was intoxicating. He leaped up beside me, and it was just like old times again. Minus me constantly hating him and our missing team member.

I pushed those old thoughts away as soon as they were beginning to rise. I bet Naruto was getting ticked that he had to babysit me when he could be off finding Sasuke.

_Gaara, where are you?_ I thought to myself nervously, glancing at the Hokage tower in hopes for some sort of sign, and of course retrieved nothing. I was trying to keep my mind off him, I knew he was on his way, but it was still nerve wracking. Maybe he won't be here for a few more days. Or maybe he was an hour away, I didn't know.

I jumped towards the large clothing store after leaping around for a while, probably throwing Naruto off a few times. I'm sure he didn't mind too much, though.

When I walked into the store, I instantly felt awkward. I was almost positive everyone there knew who we were, and I knew they were going to make a commotion about me being... Pregnant. Hopefully I'd get lucky and they wouldn't.

"Great. Shopping." Naruto muttered, following behind me as I walked to the maternity section, sighing as I went.

"It's not like I'm shopping for anything _too_ special. Just mainly big shirts and stretchy pants. Like these," I reached out for some vibrantly pink sweat pants, grabbing those and a pair of black shorts.

"The shirts might be the harder part." I said, a couple pants draped over my arms as I went through the shorts. They seemed kinda weird, and not much my taste. When I turned the corner I found a few my style, and grabbed them after checking for the right size. I needed something, and I know I wasn't going to be completely satisfied buying shirts for when my stomach is the size of a watermelon. I probably won't care then anyways, I'll be to busy freaking out over stretch marks.

I groaned noisily at the thought.

"Granny didn't say anything about baby clothing, did she?" Naruto muttered. I stopped in the middle of looking at socks when he mentioned this.

"No. But I don't think I'll look unless Gaara's with me. I'll be doing a _lot_ of baby clothes shopping when the time comes." I explained, finding an abandoned cart and throwing my stuff in it. I found a couple other comfortable shirts to wear until my stomach gets bigger, and decided on grabbing sports bras just for comfort.

"This is still weird," he said to himself, looking at the clothes with me.

"I know. But, might as well get used to it." I sighed, pausing in the middle of the section. He glanced at me.

"Are you used to it?" he asked. I paused before answering.

"Not at all. I can't belief I have a baby growing inside me. Personally, I'm really scared to do anything too drastic. I don't want to kill it, which is why I decided to eat so much. Once I found out, I had a completely different change in attitude. At least I'm up to 85 pounds so far. I'll be satisfied at 105." I explained, spotting an ivory green dress and tossing it into the cart with the rest of my things.

Then, I thought of something genius.

I spiraled around where I was at, and looked at Naruto.

"Why don't you and Hinata have a baby?" I asked, smiling innocently.

Instantly, he froze. The blond reached out to grab the cart to steady himself, and he cast me a look so shocking I could almost feel the electricity.

"What?" he breathed, almost like he couldn't believe what I'd said.

"Seriously! It's not like we're little kids anymore. We're all 18 years old now. Well, I'm still 17. But still! Think about it!" I said, excited.

He just stared at me like I was crazy.

"Aren't you guys going to settle down together? Or... is it not working out?" I asked, suddenly worried I'd stepped out of line.

"No, it's working out... fine. A baby?" he repeated, looking off into the distance, like he was in his own little world.

"Naruto? Are you alright?" I asked, reaching for his arm and shaking him slightly.

"I'm alright," he muttered, but he didn't look back at me. I frowned.

"What's on your mind? I know something's up." I demanded, walking over to guide the cart again and continue with this "mission".

Naruto didn't answer right away. He kept silent, which was completely abnormal. He was always jumpy, and obnoxious. Not quiet.

"I don't think that's a good idea." he finally muttered, his voice bleak. I turned to look at him.

Something was wrong. His entire expression was dark and secretive. Surely Hinata wasn't pregnant already? Or she _was_, and... they'd lost the baby.

"Why?" I had to ask. I was done shopping, so I headed to the counter. He walked beside me, still quiet and acting strange.

"I'm... afraid of what will happen to the baby. I'm worried the nine-tails will somehow pass through to it, or something worse." Naruto finally said at the check out line, and the cashier ignored us. She was someone I didn't recognize, thankfully. But I'm sure she knew Naruto. Or at least about him.

"I didn't think about that..." I looked down, somewhat depressed now. Poor Naruto... He always got the shitty end of the stick. It wasn't fair.

"Are you worried it'll be looked down upon like you were? There's no way anyone should, it'll be the son or daughter of the Hokage!" I smiled motherly, putting my hand on his shoulder and shaking it slightly. He looked at me bleakly for a second, and then smiled.

"You two having a baby together?" the cashier smiled innocently, bagging the clothing as she went. I almost fell where I was at, and Naruto turned pink in the cheeks.

"No no, he's just a friend." I struggled saying, waving my hands out in front of me. Laughing awkwardly, Naruto put his hand behind his head and grinned.

"Yeah. Us having a baby together would be weird." he muttered, thinking about it. I felt myself turn pink this time. This was just _wrong_.

"What're you saying?" I hissed, smirking.

"It'll be some... demon holder, with pink hair, and inhuman strength." he snorted.

"And probably some hyper, obnoxious personality," I mumbled. Gods, I'm glad I didn't hook up with Naruto.

I gave the cashier the note, and she was surprised it came from the Hokage. I had to explain who I was, to my surprise, and she instantly started bowing and congratulating me on the baby.

We left shortly afterward, bags in hand, back to my house. I'd only spent an hour there, which gave me another two hours, roughly, to be free.

I entered through the window, of course, and started

unloading all the clothing. I folded most and put them in an empty drawer, glad to be back in my house again. I noticed all the food had been put away here, probably by Tsunade herself. She knew where everything went.

I ran into the bathroom to brush my hair and put on my headband. I fixed my make-up, which had smeared a lot from the past couple days. I could see the stress lines and bags under my eyes begin to return as usual, and I fixed that with a quick touch of my medical chakra. When I was finished brushing my teeth and reapplying my pink eyeliner on my eyelids that I'd snatched from Temari, I walked into the kitchen.

I decided that I really needed to get back in touch with everyone. No one has been allowed to come in my hospital room, which pisses me off.

"Hey, lets go find Hinata. I want to see her, I haven't for a while." I said as I turned around, Naruto laying on my couch.

"Finally!" he said loudly, jumping up. I shut my window and decided to use the door this time. I locked it before I left, which wouldn't really protect my house from anything except little kids or ninja that didn't no how to break in. Which was probably 10% of the population in this village.

I started heading towards Hinata's place, Naruto walking a little faster than normal. We walked through a trail that led as a back way to the Hyuuga mansion. It was nice to be out of the public for a while, and in the forest. He probably really wanted to see her, especially since he wasn't allowed to for the past couple days. She must be worried about him, and maybe me. I wondered if she'd tried to see me-

I bumped into Naruto in front of me; I wasn't entirely paying attention.

"Sakura," Naruto breathed, and I walked out from behind him, irritated.

"What?" I muttered, looking at his expression.

"Are you alright?" he suddenly asked.

"What? I'm fine. Let's continue to Hinata's-"

"No. Stop," he said, walking out in front of me. I stared at him, raising an eyebrow. He looked me up and down.

I glared at him.

"Are you checking me out?" I hissed, folding my arms in annoyance.

"Your chakra suddenly just changed." he said, and my hardened expression softened.

"What are you talking about? My chakra-"

I was cut off by a light underneath my shirt. It reflected in Naruto's eyes, and he backed up. I looked down, and it was coming from the center of my chest. I reached under my shirt and pulled out the pendant of my necklace, placing it in the middle of my palm. It shined with a brilliant light, and an even brighter light swirled inside of it. I held it out in front of me, almost expecting something horrible or crazy to happen.

Suddenly, it lifted itself from my hand and started hovering in midair, vibrating just barely.

I was slightly afraid of it at first, but it just stayed there, lifted by and invisible force. I lifted my hands around it, cradling it, not touching it. I felt the energy releasing from it in the palm of my hands, and it was being absorbed into me. It almost felt like it was trying to do something, like try and connect with me. It did.

Then, I understood what it was trying to _tell_ me.

I bolted off in the direction we were walking towards, but away from the Hyuuga mansion. I was aiming for the outskirts of Konoha.

"Sakura! Wait, you can't leave!" Naruto cried, grabbing my hand and stopping me for a second.

"I have to!" I replied, yanking my arm away quickly.

"It's Tsunade's orders!" he pushed.

"Naruto, let go!" I snapped, turning around. Naruto tried once more, and reached out to grab me, trying not to make me run off.

For some reason he lost the ability to move it any further, and it hung in place in midair. Naruto stepped back, his other hand on his Kunai. I stared at it, my breath caught in my throat from shock. Were we under attack? I couldn't get hurt, I couldn't strain myself. I moved my hand out to try and force it, but it wouldn't even work for me. When I took a closer look, I realized what exactly had stopped him from grabbing me.

A small, thin layer of sand twirled around his hand, confining it in place.

I grinned widely, and Naruto gave me a weird look. He finally forced his hand free, and stood straight. The excitement boiled inside of me. I turned around in circles, desperate to find him, trying to look everywhere at once.

"Gaara!" I cried out, obviously looking stupid. Naruto opened his mouth, and began looking around as well.

"Naruto, try to grab me again." I hissed, and he turned to look at me. He reached his hand forward, and just like before, but his hand stopped in place just a few inches before my hand. I stared at it again, and just like before, a thin trail of sand was confined around it.

"He's here somewhere. The sand is protecting me, but it only acts up when he's around." I grinned, trying to sense where he could be.

"But he doesn't have Shukaku inside of him," Naruto spoke through gritted teeth, yanking his hand away again. I nodded to him.

"Doesn't matter, he still has the demon's chakra infused in the sand with his. That sand will still protect him. He gave a little to me, infused with his chakra. Only a little, but enough." I explained, watching the sand that was around his wrist come back to me and into the baggy-like pendant.

Then, I had an idea.

"Hit me." I demanded.

"What?"

"Just do it."

"You're crazy, I'm not hitting you." he snapped back, shaking his head.

"Do it, or I'll hit you!" I cried, and he barred his teeth.

"Fine!" he exclaimed, fed up with my attitude most likely. He raised his hand, balling it into a fist, and lamely attempted to punch me in the shoulder.

No sand came this time. Instead, another hand did, reaching out to block Naruto's pathetic excuse of a punch in mid-movement. And connected to that hand, was the very person I was expecting.

It was him. I felt my breathing quicken as soon as I saw him. His thick, messy blood red hair was just how it always was. The Kanji on his forehead was even visible, and his normal posture of always acting calm was replaced with him looking exhausted from endless rest and worry. The tan and maroon outfit was a dead give away, the ridiculously heavy gourd attached to his back was uncorked and spewing sand.

And on the center of his chest was my necklace I'd given him, shimmering, and glowing just as bright as mine.

"Sakura," he breathed, standing in between me and Naruto. He pushed away Naruto's hand, letting his own rest at his side. Standing up straight, he gasped for air, and then turned to face me. Standing directly in front of me, he put his hands on my shoulders. I looked up at him, my emotions completely out of whack, eyes wide from shock.

"I can't believe you're here," I said under my breath, smiling. Then, grinning.

"You're supposed to be in the hospital." he stated simply, his chest heaving. I stared at his reflection, his icy blue eyes shining full of worry and fear. The tears in my eyes began to weld up.

"I'm fine, Gaara, please. Just relax," I tried soothing him, reaching forward with my hand and placing it on his cheek. He was warm, he probably didn't stop running the whole way here.

He closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath, leaning forward slightly.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Naruto breathed, walking around so he was next to us. I didn't look over. I didn't care right now. Gaara was actually in front of me, I couldn't fucking believe it.

"Why were you attacking her?" he asked, turning from where he stood to glare at Naruto.

"She told me to!" he exclaimed, pointing at me eagerly. "Blame her!"

Gaara looked back at me, and I continued looking at him. He gave me a questioning look, and instead of deciding to answer, I lurched forward and embraced him.

All the pain, the torture, the suffering from the endless belief that he was never coming back and I would never see him again suddenly just released itself, and I felt myself shaking from the emotion. I wasn't crying, I'm sure they probably thought I was. Instead, I was just completely relieved.

"Don't cry," I heard him whisper into my ear, bringing my hair out of my face with one of his hands.

"I-I'm not, I j-just can't believe you're a-actually here. I don't want you to l-leave," I stammered, trying to hold back the excitement that shook my form violently. He held me tighter.

I'm sure he knew exactly how I felt.

"I'm not going anywhere. And if I am, you're coming with me this time. I'll talk to Tsunade." he spoke calmly, lifting me up from where I was at and into his arms.

"Does Granny Tsunade even know you're here?" Naruto asked, standing beside him.

"Hn. She told me you guys had just left the Hospital, but Sakura was still in critical condition. Why the hell is she walking around if she is?" his words were cold, upset, and with my arms wrapped around his neck and my face next to his chest I could feel his words vibrate against me.

"It's not the critical condition you're thinking of. She can walk around, it would probably be bad if she didn't get some exercise-"

"What's wrong with her? She's thin," he cut Naruto off, looking down at me as they walked back to the village.

"I... You have to ask her. It's not my place to say." he said, looking over at Gaara's expression. They exchanged glances, and Gaara looked down at me.

"I'm going to take her to the Hospital. I'll be with her the entire time. I'd prefer if we were alone," Gaara pressed, and Naruto smiled lightly. I looked over at Naruto from where I was at.

"Go be with Hinata. I'm in good hands, and if Tsunade asks, I'll tell her I told you to leave." I said between a few shaky sobs, almost like hiccups. He nodded, and ran off towards the mansion.

Sand washed over us like a waterfall, and I buried myself in his chest.

When the sand uncovered us, we were still on the outskirts of the Village, but alone. I know he hated being in public, and if we went back to the Hospital they'd be bugging me all day and there's no telling when someone was going to drop in. I still had another hour anyways, why waste it?

"Sakura," Gaara asked, and I pulled myself away dreamily. If I could choose, I would never leave from this spot. But then again, if I really _could_ choose, I'd be in Suna.

His nervous expression made me frown, and our necklaces seemed to have calmed down, only shining slightly. It was neat, to see our connection like that in chakra infused sand. My chakra was in his, and his were in mine. Too bad they only activated when we were near each other.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, crawling out of his hold and standing shakily on the ground.

"For what?" he asked, standing close to me, almost as if he were expecting me to fall apart.

"For scaring you like this. I was in pretty bad condition, I still sort of am. I was being stupid, and, I'm sorry." I murmured, putting my hand on my other arm, squeezing slightly. If I'd pushed my depression any farther...

"You look unhealthy. You've lost weight," he pointed out.

"I know. I have, but, I've gained 15 pounds the past couple days. I'm not as bad as I was," I said, hoping that would make him feel a little better. Unfortunately, it didn't.

"I want to know what's going on." he spoke calmly, folding his arms and standing casually. His face was masked, probably naturally, and I frowned.

I had absolutely no idea what I was going to say to him.

I walked a few feet away, looking around, and eventually lifting my head to stare at the sky. Almost like I was expecting it to tell me what to say. I couldn't just say it too bluntly, but I couldn't spend half an hour explaining that I was pregnant, either. I sighed heavily, kneeling down to grab a red flower on the ground.

"Sakura," Gaara said, and I had my back to him. I stared at the little flower in my hand, and began picking it subconsciously.

"It's hard to... explain, I suppose." I stressed on the last two words, biting my lip.

"Are you dying?" he asked slowly.

"No. At least, not anymore."

"Then why did you lose weight?"

I opened my mouth, and shut it. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.

"I didn't handle coming home very well. The distance between us, and the fact that you weren't here pretty much just... destroyed me. I couldn't do it." I opened them to look away, pulling a third petal off the helpless flower.

He walked towards the tree close to me, leaning against it tiredly. Of course, he continued watching me intently, observing my actions like he used to do back in Suna.

"What made you change?"

"I would've died if I hadn't changed. That was my motivation. But, I wasn't the only one who'd be dead," I plucked another petal, and he nodded.

"I know." he closed his eyes, and continued folding his arms. I looked at him from the corner of my eye, but I knew he didn't understand completely.

"Gaara, remember the night before I left?" I asked, turning to him and plucking yet another petal, this one withered most from the rest.

His eyes opened, and he was looking at the ground. I noticed his cheeks turned a light shade of red, and I couldn't resist the smirk that spread on my lips. He just nodded.

"Something happened to me because of that." I looked back down, staring at the almost bare flower. What little color there was on his face drained, and he turned white.

"What did I do?" he breathed, stepping forward, a little faster than normal.

"You created life," I said forcefully through gritted teeth and he stared at me, confused.

"What life?"

"Gaara, don't you get it? I'm _pregnant_."

I plucked the last petal, and let it fall to the ground.

I tossed the bare stem to the side, and bit my cheek. I stared at the petals on the ground, afraid to look up. My heart was beating fast, and I could hear it ring in my ears. I didn't know how he would handle this. There was only one way to find out, though, and after a few seconds of staring away from him, I made myself look up.

The expression on his face was probably the most emotion I had ever seen from him. Reflecting in his eyes were a mixture of many things; Shock, fear, disbelief, worry, panic, and speechlessness. They widened considerably, and he unfolded his arms. I noticed his breathing had quickened, and out of everything the thing I realized most was that he definitely was not smiling.

Fearfully, I reached out for him, probably my own brand of distress growing on my face. He didn't move, he didn't inch away, he stood perfectly still. His scarred, icy blue eyes were on mine, and it was almost like he'd turned into a statue. I grabbed his arm.

"Please, say something," was all I could manage saying, my voice shaking.

That made him react, even if it was just a little. Looking away from me, he turned his attention to what was behind me, probably staring off in the distance. Then, he was looking at the ground again, shaking his head.

"Pregnant?" he said simply, raising his hand and running it through his thick red hair.

"Yes."

"As in a _baby_?" he questioned, almost looking like he was going to fall apart. The way he said the last word made tears well up in my eyes, and I grabbed his other arm.

"I'm sorry, Gaara, I..." I felt my lower lip tremble. He didn't like this.

This could not be happening.

I felt the warmth of the tears fall down my cheek, and after dealing with the pain from being away from him, this by far was worse. I took one of my hands and placed it over my mouth, shutting my eyes so I couldn't see his horrible reaction anymore.

"Why are you sorry?" his completely changed voice asked, and I didn't reply.

And for the first time in ages, I wanted to run away.

I twirled around quickly where I was standing, letting go of him and preparing to run off, but before I could take a single step he'd summoned his sand to grab me. But, he'd reached out at the same time and grabbed my wrist.

My heartbeat echoed in my ears, and I felt his breath down my neck. I decided to answer him now, especially since I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"For doing that before I came home." I said under my breath, my words probably a little colder than usual.

"Why?"

"Why do you think?" I twirled around, breaking his hold on me. I was getting angry. He stared at me, his expression softer than it should be; the color had returned to his face.

"I didn't expect one time like that would get me pregnant, just like that! By the way you're acting, you're not even happy! And the whole time I thought that maybe when I told you, you'd smile, or be happy, or something positive. Now I'm going to have it, and you won't even like it! It won't have a father that loves it!" my voice broke, and I felt the sobs rip through my chest towards the end. I crouched down, grabbing my stomach, trying to get a grip on myself.

A second later, he knelt down in front of me.

"Is that what you think is going to happen? Sakura, you've never been good at reading expressions." he murmured, reaching out and touching the hand that was on my face. I decided to look at him.

"I'm not upset, I'm... afraid." he breathed, looking away.

I went still at those words, not once ever thinking that Gaara would be scared _and_ admit it.

"You should stop overreacting." he pushed harshly, the fear still obvious on his expression from the news not even five minutes beforehand.

"It's kind of hard not to, especially since you haven't given me a reason to believe you're alright with this." I muttered, sniffling from the runny nose my tears had created.

He sighed. I watched him lean back slightly while he was crouching, obviously lost in his thoughts. I desperately wished I knew what they were.

"You're positive you're pregnant?" he repeated, not looking at me.

"It's growing as we speak." I said under my breath.

"What is _it_?"

"I don't know if it's a girl or a boy yet. There's no way to tell for at least a few more months, anyways." I explained. Standing up and wiping my cheeks with my palms, I straightened out my clothing. He stood as well, silent.

Then, he grabbed my hand, and pulled me towards him in an embrace.

I fell into him submissively, somewhat surprised. He'd never forcefully, or suddenly willingly, hugged me before. I'd remembered the time he did back in Suna when I was cold, but, this was an emotional hug. A needed hug. And just as I thought of that, he squeezed.

"Sakura. I'm sorry. I won't abandon you, or our... child. Just give me some time, I'll get used to it." he tried to find the right words without lying to me, and it seemed like he was worried that whatever he said would hurt me. I nodded quietly, hugging him back.

"Well, where am I going to stay? And what's going to happen?" I asked, feeling my anxiety bubble inside of me.

"You're going to come back home." he pressed, emphasizing the last word. I stayed silent, and then closed my eyes.

"Let's talk to Tsunade about that. Come on-"

Before I could even walk away, I felt sand surround us again, and I knew immediately what he was doing. Waiting patiently, it was hardly even considered a wait, and merely a few seconds later the sand was uplifted.

I saw us inside the room I'd been trapped in the past few days, and I twirled around to object. But before I could, he covered my lips with two of his fingers, and smirked strangely.

"I'll handle it." he said harshly, and vanished in another tornado of sand.

I glared at the spot he had been at, upset that he'd just leave me here. I wanted to know how he was going to seriously persuade Tsunade to leave, because at this point, I was almost sure it was impossible. I'd already expected that I'd have to leave by force, and be considered a rogue ninja.

I sighed stressfully at this thought. To think, I'd have to go that far in order to leave. It was wrong, especially if I was going to do it. I'd be breaking every rule.

Now I had to wait nine months. Nine aching, back breaking, mood swing bipolar months.

Then I'd give birth to my baby. The child of Sunagakure's Kazekage, once a Jinchuriki, and Konoha's number one pink haired Medic.

Wow.

* * *

I figured I might as well reply to some of you guys, I feel bad not, since I know some authors do.

I might not have gotten _everyone_, but, at least I answered some of you. xD;

These are somewhat older answers to questions to the reviews after Chapter 10, but, I answered some of the more recent reviews, too.

I don't get on the internet much anymore. :c

_  
_[Socially Suicidal] -- Thank you, seriously. :D I'm starting to notice how wrong I was. I should have just given it time, and kept believing I was doing a good job.

[animelover5107] -- Heheh, thank you. 3 I try _really_ hard at doing that.

[Jojii-chan] -- I'm not totally sure at what you mean by a monologue for a stage production, but, I'll look it up; And if I like it, I'll give it a shot. :D Thanks!

[Miikodesu] -- I'll try and remind myself to throw that part in. I'd be dying to read it too, jealousy is fun to see sometimes. XD And, to answer you latest question, yeah; Sakura is being a bitch for a few reasons. She she wants to go back to Suna, she misses Gaara, she's irritable and she's mood swingish from being pregnant. So. Pretty much just a lot of stress.

**[[ I M P O R T A N T ]]**

Alright. So. The next couple chapters is going to be a bunch of time skips. Because I am so not writing out nine months of Sakura bitchy pregnancy. I'll pick the best times, and write them, and probably end with her giving birth to her daughter or son.

BUT. This is not only what I wanted to explain. I plan on writing a Naruto x Sakura fanfiction eventually, but the next couple chapters of _Discovery_ might come slower than expected. Because I have decided to write a REAL book. Seriously.

I'm going to make a website and order some commissions for the covers, because the idea is insane. It's about Dragons, mainly, in our every day life. I can't explain much more, but yeah. And if it actually does get published, if I'm lucky, I'll post something about it.

Just letting you guys know. Sorry. :c

~_Carenia_

**P.S.:** There will still be Naruto fanfictions I'm writing. I won't stop those. Just slow down. xD


	13. Time's Up

I had to force myself to write most of this. xD

That way I could get this done for you guys, and just done in general.

I've just been super busy. Not with the Dragon story, I decided not to do that.

But... with WoW. LOL.

Oh, and just so you know, I'm making a Naruto x Sakura and a Sasuke x Sakura fanfic in the future.

I used to love GaaSaku. That died.

Then I began to like NaruSaku, then I've been obsessing over SasuSaku. SO.

Naruto x Sakura would probably be sappy. I wanted to do a sappy fanfic.

But sappiness is just _wrong_ in a GaaraxSakura fanfiction. I think most of you would agree.

Just imagine for a second.

"Sakura, lets run off into the sunset!"

"Oh, Gaara!"

No.

(But that won't happen in SakuNaru anyways. xD)

And, also, since I don't think I'm good enough at writing, I'm going to take some college courses in

writing and language skills.

That is going to be soo hard. Ohmygod. x_x

I need to learn someway, though.

Anyways. Here's the 13th chapter! Hope you like. c:

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this right now.

* * *

I stared between Naruto's and Gaara's expressions while I was confined in the small bed of my Hospital room. I was on top of the sheets, in my normal clothing, with my hands over my stomach.

The boys, on the other hand, sat awkwardly at the end of the bed. Naruto looked restless, and Gaara looked... Well, ever since his discovery the other day, he just hasn't really been the same.

He stared off into space, his expression a lot softer than what it normally was, and I knew he was thinking about _it_. That much was obvious. What he was literally thinking was a mystery to me, and not knowing bugged the living hell out of me.

What was worse about this whole situation was his discussion with Lady Tsunade yesterday sounded like a failure, and he had to leave _tonight_.

I glanced out the window, staring blankly at the brilliant twilight colors in the distance. The sunsets in Konoha were beautiful, but not as amazing as Suna's. In Konoha half of the sunset was hidden behind the mysterious darkness of the forest. In Suna, the wide open desert revealed every strange magenta and tangerine color, and it mixed between the thin clouds in the sky.

He'd arrived not even a day and a half ago. And now he was leaving, which was probably the only option he had, but still. It wasn't hardly fair.

Just when things seemed better, and my rare flower of luck had seemed to finally bloom, I realize it was just a figment of my imagination. A mirage, one would say.

I heaved a depressing sigh, and Naruto was the one to look up.

Gaara stood up, noticing just as well as I did how dark the sky was turning, and walking to my bedside. I looked up to him, noticing the stone expression replacing the softness that had crept unknowingly upon his face.

"When will you be told of the gender?" his simply asked, his hand resting on the pole beside my bed, which would be used for support when needed.

"It'll be official in six months, roughly. They can only assume until the baby is bigger," I breathed, and I reached out for his scarred, empty hand, trying to hold back the tears I was almost positive were going to come.

"I'll be back in six months, then." he forced out, and I felt my stomach flip in horror. _Six months_.

I squeezed the slightly tan hand laced with mine, shaking my head. My attempts went unanswered, and practically unnoticed. He just squeezed back.

"Take care of both of you. I won't tolerate returning and seeing you withered. You're a flower that doesn't wither," he forced, putting his hand on my shoulder and shaking me slightly.

His tough love made me smile bleakly, and I all I could do was nod.

"I'll be counting the days." I breathed, forcing myself to be strong, just as he asked.

And with that, he leaned down slowly to kiss my forehead, and his intoxicating cologne of the desert cinnamon filled my lungs, making my adrenaline race and the excitement dwelling dully inside of me react suddenly. I couldn't resist pulling him down by his robe, forcing a needy kiss on his lips. He didn't complain.

Once Gaara had left, the late spring rain decided to take part in the torturous farewell, yet again. It was like it knew what had just happened. Naruto had taken part in the good-bye, speaking of him catching up to Hokage so they could be Kage's together one day, and Gaara had said in his own little way to "hurry up".

How many good-byes were we going to have to go through until we could finally be together? How long would this seriously last, considering I had a child and in the end there was no way to separate us anyways. They knew I wouldn't just sit here and deal with it.

My best friend, whom I'd consider probably my brother, inched closer to my bedside nervously. He was always understanding of pain. Instead of ruining the mood and announcing his boredom and anger towards Tsunade for not giving him a Sasuke Rescue Mission, he instead waited patiently by my side for any requests that would make me happier. He always hated me upset.

The sound of the rain beating against the rooftops made me close my eyes, the tears I almost expected to come never taking its leave.

It was times like these a saying I'd heard so many times in the past would be appropriately said aloud, but this time I changed it, and said it to myself in cold silence.

_"Thus the rain would appear and wash clean what was never dirty in the first place; only constantly leaving her alone in her wake to relish the past and dread the looming months that dwelled right before her empty eyes."_

[Almost Four Months later]

"Oh! Look at that baby bump!" a voice cried from my open door, the breeze wafting from outside cooling the absolutely frying temperatures inside my house. I wore a – finally – too small red shirt of mine, and I was cleaning the dishes in the sink. I looked up, noticing my only three female best friends at the door, obviously on a girls day out.

Ino had been responsible for the shouting, and skipped forward next to me, demanding my stomach instantly. I sighed irritably, turning off the water and letting her, for the fifth time this week, rub my belly.

"To think, you're having a kid before me. Who would have thought!" she snickered, poking me a few times before I swatted her hand away. Hinata came up from behind her, Tenten shortly after.

"Yeah, well, life's full of unexpected surprised. Right Tenten?" I smiled, putting my hands on my hips, towel in one hand.

"Oh, stop it. I was expecting it," she stammered, looking away with a slightly reddened face.

"That's right. When are you and Neji going to start going public?" Ino turned to ask, abandoning my stomach to attack Tenten now.

Hinata stood in the middle, watching all three of us silently, her always innocent smile perched on her pale face. Tenten was trying to avoid our gazes, and especially Ino's.

"Why are you all here anyways? I have to leave soon. Baby appointment," I said, throwing the towel over the refrigerator door and approaching them.

"We wanted to go with you," Hinata said quietly, her voice always difficult to hear. It was rare that Hinata would speak, but she'd actually changed a lot. It was all because of Naruto, and anyone knew that.

"Yeah. Whether you like it or not, forehead." Ino snorted, almost as if on cue.

"Ugh, why do you have to be such a pig," I groaned, pushing past her and to the door. My appointment at the hospital was in about five minutes. They'd arrived just on time, except this morning I'd been rather nit picky, and didn't want to tolerate with anything.

They would just have to deal with my mood swings, I guess.

"Hey Sakura, what do you want it to be?" Tenten butted in, probably preventing an argument between me and Ino that'd last through the appointment.

I paused at the question, not really expecting it to be asked by anyone but myself.

"I've thought of it more than you know, and I still don't really know. I'd be happy with either one, because all in all, it's my baby. I'd take it even if it was a monster." I mumbled, resting my hand on the small bump of my stomach.

"I don't want to jinx this or anything, but with Gaara's past, that definitely is somewhat of a possibility." Ino pressed harshly, and I glared at her.

"I highly doubt that any demon is going to be inside of it, or whatever you're implying." I hissed, sticking my nose up in confidence as I walked.

But the words Ino's head latched onto my train of thoughts, and I knew I wasn't going to stop thinking about it until the baby was born. I couldn't help but worry, I knew very well what life it would live if there was really a demon inside of it. I bet this is what Hinata thinks about, even though she isn't pregnant yet, especially since the chances with her are 10x greater. Mine's just a tiny possibility.

And that tiny possibility is something I do not want to see become real.

We reached the hospital fairly quickly, but the entire way I had my hand rested on the bump of my stomach, my thumb instinctively rubbing back and forth. Ino peeked at me from the corner of her eye a few times, and then I heard her sigh.

When I walked in the front door, I was greeted by my fellow staff immediately. Remarks on how big I was getting were heard from every direction, and I just smiled awkwardly. But of course, to my dismay, I had at least three requests to touch my stomach, and by the fourth I practically threw a tantrum.

"I am going to give birth by the time I make it to my appointment!" I whined annoyingly, and stormed through the halls to the room Tsunade would be meeting me in. I didn't want a public audience, and Tsunade had pretty much decided for me who the person doing the ultrasound would be. Which was her, of course.

Over the past couple months, Tsunade had fully transformed into a devoted mother, and a loyal grandparent at that. She was as desperate to find out the baby's gender as I am, if not maybe even a little more. I didn't mind either way what the baby was, but she had her mind set on a girl, for whatever reason. She'd made this clear by now.

"Why didn't you decide to do an ultrasound at home, Sakura?" Hinata asked shyly, but without any stuttering.

"I could've but it requires a harder process and at least two people to channel the chakra to check the baby's gender. Plus, I kind of wanted someone else telling me officially what the gender would be. I'd have to study it for a bit to make sure, and that would've ruined the surprise." I explained, guiding my mini crowd in through the cracked door, and once we were all inside I shut it behind me. I made sure to lock it, as well, and put the sign up.

Tsunade was sitting there, impatient, with her hands folded by her face. She'd been staring off into the distance for a while, but as soon as we were inside she got to our feet to greet us.

"Ready, Sakura?" she asked, folding her arms contently at the sight of my smug expression.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Ino, you're the second person doing this, right?" I asked, noticing Tenten and Hinata sitting down in the two guest chairs near the "bed". She nodded with a smirk, and headed over to the sink to wash her hands.

I heaved a sigh, and moved over to the bed to get in the right position. I moved onto my back comfortably, content where I was at, almost like in routine. I had normal check ups, but this time it would be different. Tsunade finished washing her hands and approached me with a jar of clear jelly, and I made a face.

"Be nice, that shit is-" I began, and with a roll of her eyes Tsunade dropped a glob of it on my stomach. The top of my stomach felt like the temperature of the arctic mountains.

"COLD." I cringed, flinching in my spot and squeezing my eyes shut. Ino snorted loudly, and when I opened my eyes I could see the satisfied expression on Tsunade's face. Why were they being so mean right now? Ugh.

They had their hands over my stomach, and they were lit in a greenish glow. I watched curiously, and Ino stole a glance at Tsunade's face, as if expecting her to say something. Her expression went back to looking at my stomach, and both of their face's were questionable and a bit confused.

"This is going to feel uncomfortable, and a bit weird, Sakura. We have to move the baby a little so we can get a better look." she said, and I groaned. I've done procedures like these on pregnant women before, and their reactions were always unpleasant. I sighed, and nodded my head once.

I immediately took pity on the women I'd had to do this process on in the past. Cringing, I gripped the side of the bed when a roll of nausea flipped in my stomach, and I exhaled audibly. At one point I almost sat up, but I forced myself down.

"You have no idea how weird and unnatural this feels," I muttered, and at some point Hinata had decided to get up and stand next to me. I wasn't sure why, probably because she thought I was in pain. Instead I was just extremely uncomfortable, and it felt like my guts were being moved up and around in my stomach. Not much pain, just, a really _wrong_ kind of feeling.

It was when I heard Tsunade draw in a deep breath than I looked back over at them. Ino's face was scrunched up a bit, and Tsunade's looked... Really determined, unfortunately for me.

"I think I see it, but then, I don't. Damnit," Ino hissed, and Tsunade stayed silent, a deep concentration plastered over her face. She closed her eyes, and tried to look harder, from what I assumed. Sometimes it was just difficult to find the gender out, but with enough time and effort put into it, you could find out.

After another five agonizing minutes, I sat up just slightly, becoming impatient.

"If you guys don't figure it out, I'm going to l-"

"You were right," Ino suddenly said, and all of us looked up, except Tsunade.

"I don't care who was right or wrong, what's the gender?" I hissed. Tsunade opened her eyes, and the glowing green chakra around her hands disappeared. Ino did the same, and huffed silently on the opposite side of the bed. I stared at Tsunade.

And for the first time in ages, I saw her actually grin.

"It's a girl, Sakura. Thank the gods," she breathed, putting her hand over my stomach again and letting the green chakra take place once more.

"You're positive?" I breathed, feeling pride swell inside my chest.

"Sakura, there is no penis on that baby. Trust me, I would have found it." Ino mumbled. Tenten snorted, and Ino shot a dark look at her. There was no doubt Ino wanted the kid to be a boy.

But I didn't care. I smiled where I was at, looking down at my stomach and feeling the emotional tears begin to sting on my eyes. _A baby girl_. My smile transformed into a grin, much like Tsunade's, and I couldn't help but laugh lightly.

"What will you call her?" Hinata asked quietly, looking down at me and smiling as well.

The tears weld up in my eyes and pooled over while I continued to stare at the ground, and a shaky breath escaped from my lips. What _would _I call her? There were so many names...

She was a mixture between the both of us. We are opposites, there were few things we completely shared. The search for a name would be difficult, which would probably explain why I hadn't thought of one yet.

"I don't really know," I breathed, Tsunade and Ino's hands retreating from my swollen belly. I'd lifted myself up onto my elbows before, but now I was laying flat on my back again, my eyes staring at the brown ceiling above me.

I thought back on the times we shared. From when we were children, to young adults like we are now. Closing my eyes, memories flooded my mind and blocked out the voices around me as they spoke amongst themselves. I knew Tsunade's eyes were on me, inspecting me, always trying to read my expressions. I couldn't help but feel she was still upset with me being a mother. I sighed.

After a moment of thinking of similarities between Gaara and I, it quickly hit me. It may be too blunt, but I felt confident with it.

"I can't choose without Gaara." I spoke suddenly, and they looked over at me. Hinata nodded, as well as Ino. I didn't share the best bond with Tenten, so she only smiled.

"But for now, if I could, I would name her Aiko."

[About Five Months later]

The grip I had on the plastic Kunai in my hand suddenly disappeared, and it hit the floor with a dull clatter. I groaned irritably, and put my hand to my forehead.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto's voice asked beside me, and he knelt to the ground to pick it up for me. I nodded my head slowly, forcing a smile.

"Mhm. Sorry Naruto, it's a bit tough to move like this." I said as I shook the pink strands of hair out my view. He put the Kunai where I had been planning to put it with ease, and I watched with envy. He looked at me and grinned his usual wide grin, and I couldn't help but huff a laugh. Show off.

I set my hand on my stomach when the strange pain in my pelvis started to return, and my expression twisted from the pain. The pink Kunai that hung over the baby bed swayed, and I stepped away to sit on the rocking chair next to it. Once I was sitting down the muscles in my body relaxed, and I started inhaling deeply and releasing slowly afterwards.

Then, I paused, the air catching in my throat slightly. I took another deep breath and exhaled once more, Naruto fiddling with another Kunai in his hand. It took another breath to convince me of what I was worried about. I groaned loudly, and Naruto turned to look at me.

"Sakura-chan...?" he asked as his looked over his shoulder at me, the silly pink Kunai resting in his hand. His expression was full of curiosity, but I didn't look up at him. My mind was busy to answer him at the moment. I heaved a sigh, and removed the hand from the top of my bulged stomach to my lungs, measuring the distance. I measured a few more times just to make sure, then I turned my gaze to my brother before me.

"Do me a favor, Naruto. I need to deliver a letter to Gaara-kun." I mumbled, shaking my head slightly from disbelief.

"What for?" he asked curiously, always nosy.

"I think I'm going to go into labor soon." I replied, looking up at him and rubbing the wide bump of my stomach. He gaped at my words.

"WHAT? How can you tell?" he shouted, and I winced at the outburst.

"Shut up, Naruto!" I shouted back in annoyance, raising my fist warningly. Flinching from my threatening fist, I glowered at him before I reached for the paper and pen on the table near me. I began furiously writing on it, and paused several times thinking of what to say and how to properly word things, but after awhile I gave in and just wrote freely. I rolled it, wrapped a maroon rubber band around it and handed it to Naruto.

"Let Tsunade know that I might be going into labor soon, too. Tell her I'm finding it a lot easier to breathe, and the area around my pelvic feels really pressured. She'll understand." I said, and he took it questioningly. He stood there confused, expecting something. I rolled my eyes.

"It means the baby is dropping from my stomach to my... Well, it's dropping. So there's pain down there and since she's farther from my lungs it's easier to breathe. Get it?" I explained messily, and he closed his eyes, rubbing the top of his head. A cheesy grin widened on his face and he laughed nervously. I sighed.

That meant no.

"It takes three days on average to get from here to Suna. I hope she doesn't come barging through before then," I hoped, nervousness spiking in my voice. His eyes were on me, watching me, probably with concern. Then he suddenly pumped his fist in the air, and I reeled back from the sudden movement.

"I'll hurry and get this to Granny, Sakura-chan. Don't you worry!" he announced, running out of the room and opening the front door to my home loudly. I could hear his feet landing on the ground once, and then my ears only heard the fading sound of his steps as he got farther and farther away. It didn't take long for Naruto to catch on to my distress, and he always tried to help.

He was going to make a great Uncle.

The moon glowed beautifully in the sky, hovering slightly above the tops of the trees right behind the Konoha hospital. The night was quiet, the stars twinkled in the sky and the forest buzzed with silent life. The people working night shifts moved quietly in the hospital; the Medic's treating their patients as they slept and the Ninja guarded the buildings with their lives, constantly alert of any type of the threat. Fortunately, there was only one threat they needed to worry about that night.

And that was from the screaming, raging pink haired medic that lived in the village.

"When you said it wasn't painful," Sakura hissed in Tsunade's arms as the Hokage herself carried her "adopted" daughter from the farthest area in the village to the hospital. "You were fucking _wrong_!"

A towel was hanging below the lower region of her body, darkening the shade of the towel from the fluid that was draining from her body.

"What, did you want me to say it was the worst pain in the world?" she mumbled, and I gritted my teeth together. The contractions and my labor had started shortly before my water broke, which had caught me off guard. I'd neglected it slightly as I was working around my house, thinking it may have just been a strange cramp. But when the water started gushing out, I knew it wasn't just a cramp anymore. She was finally coming out.

"No, but saying it wasn't painful was, ungh, really dumb, you idiot!" I cried, my voice breaking when another wave of pain rocked my body, and I threw my head back to release a painful cry. Tsunade tolerated my insults and shouts only because of the situation. Landing from roof to roof rocked me painfully, and I starting grinding my teeth harder at times.

I released low groans, the pain increasing more and more with every second. Sweat broke out on my forehead and what little make-up I was wearing was probably smeared by now. I gripped Tsunade's clothes with my hand, knowing if I tried holding her hand or something I'd break it off.

Landing at the front of the hospital she bolted in quickly, and the several people working there looked up in surprise.

"It's the Hokage!" some shouted, and I looked up weakly as I felt a roll of nausea in my stomach. _Pay attention to the women in labor, not the Hokage, you idiots!_ I shouted mentally, my inner self raging inside of me.

"Sakura is in labor! Someone get a hospital bed out here, immediat-"

"There will be no need for one. I have a room prepared," Tsunade said loud enough for them to hear as she bolted through the room and into the hall, heading to the area of the hospital where we handled the births of women in labor. Like me.

Who was currently restraining the urge to punch the hell out of something.

I bit back a painful cry when Tsunade set me in the bed, shutting the door and pulling the curtain over half the room. A couple nurses followed, and one was someone I knew very well. The blonde haired Hokage put on some gloves and brought a tray over that consisted of unique tools.

I felt a sting of awkwardness when my panties were hurriedly pulled off, but that was to be expected. My legs were lifted and spread, my feet set comfortably on two higher pieces of metal.

"Why didn't you come here sooner, Sakura? You're completely dilated," I heard the familiar voice of Ino hiss behind her mask.

"Not now, Ino," I hissed, clenching the side of the bed as they got things ready. They pushed a blanket under me and I squeezed my eyes shut. This baby was coming out now.

And it was quite literally _right_ now.

"Breathe, and push, Sakura." I heard someone's voice say, and through the pain I wasn't sure who it was, but I listened as my heart exploded in my chest. Push, breathe, push, breathe. Sweat trickled down the side of my head as I suddenly felt the pressure move inside of me. With a third push, I felt it suddenly slip out, and I gasped in surprise.

I lifted myself forward to try and get a glimpse at what it looked like, determined to find the gender, but I was pushed forcefully back down to rest. At my state my body listened obediently, and I flopped onto the bed. I heard some sloppy wet sounds, and then the loud cries of the baby. My baby. My heart ached at the sound, and I attempted to sit up again.

"We were right, Sakura," Tsunade mumbled as I saw her wipe the blood and fluid off the baby's head. I blinked, feeling a whole new wave of emotion from looking at such an innocent face. Tsunade turned, a smile wide on her face as she was accompanied by Ino and the other's, and handed me the bundle in her arms.

"It's definitely a girl." she said, and I exhaled slowly, my thoughts racing in my head. There was silence for a few moments, along with Ino's quiet sobbing, and then there was some loud slamming on the door.

"Lady Tsunade, the Kazekage is requesting permission to come in." a voice asked from behind the door, and she glanced at me. I hesitated a moment, my eyes burning into her's as I finally decided to nod.

"Tsu-"

"Tell him to come on in." her loud voice cut off the nurse who was surely standing outside, and I suddenly felt incredibly nervous. Gaara was here. I began to bite my cheek, staring down at the beautiful baby in my arms. Ino bent down to give me a hug, and I returned it feebly, but when they began walking out the door I felt myself panic. Tsunade instantly put a hand on my shoulder.

"She is his daughter. Trust me, Sakura, you're fine." she breathed. I smiled from her comforting words, and at that she turned and walked out the door. Merely seconds later it reopened, and my lime green eyes darted over to see.

Their wide cyan blue eyes on the baby in my arms told me more than enough.

~ Fifteen Years Later ~

"Do you think it's safe?" a husky voice questioned me, and I placed a hand on my hip.

"Will you quit? She needs to go. We need to go. It's been 10 years since she went there. I don't think she even remembers Konoha." I hissed, and the Kazekage folded his arms in reaction.

"I fear she will want to abandon Suna for her birth home." his concern shined not only in his voice, but in his expression, which was usually a rare sight for the man. I could only frown.

"Trust your daughter. She is loyal," I leaned in a little closer, placing a kiss on the side of his head. "Just as I am."

"I suppose."

"You're coming with, right?"

"I'm not letting you take her there without me." he growled, and I shrugged.

In the end, I had kept Aiko with me until she was weaned, and moved in with Gaara for a year. After a while I became incredibly homesick, which was completely unexpected because of how comfortable I had been before. I juggled both homes for a while before settling in Konoha. Aiko suffered the consequences the most having both parents in separate places, but that was our mistake by having lovers in different cities. Do I regret it? Sometimes, but I would never regret giving birth to her.

"Where is she?" I asked, eager to see her. It had been a couple months.

"Outside. We're leaving now," he mumbled.

"You had this planned before I got here, didn't you?" I huffed, and I saw that classic smirk widen on his face.

"You know me too well." was the only thing he said before he vanished in a whirl of sand, appeared beside me in an instant to lay a sneak kiss on my lips, and then disappeared once more. I growled under my breath and threw open the door, muttering several insults under my breath as I went. Yep, my temper never diminished over the years.

A blur of red suddenly caught my attention, and if it had been dangerous I would have prevented it from touching me. But I knew quickly who it was, and embraced her when she collided into my chest. Her grip was as strong as mine sometimes, but her real talent came from her father.

Aiko's hair was thin and red like her father's, and she even had his cyan blue eyes, but they were more shaped like my eyes. She wore black and red, and was skilled in mid-range and close-range attacks. She used her marvelous sand, just like Daddy, to bring the opponent closer so she could finish them off up close with physical, sand mixed attacks. She wasn't as skillful with the sand as Gaara, but that was to be expected.

"Is it true? Are we going to Konoha?" she cried, the excitement screaming in her voice. It was strange, she was awfully loud. Where did that come from? Surely not me, I wasn't that loud. Right?

"It's true, we're leaving as soon as possible."

"Yes!" she cried, throwing her fist in the air and suddenly hugging me again. I laughed lightly, and Gaara appeared beside us almost instantly.

"Ready, Aiko?" I asked, and she nodded, her grin widening on her face. I glanced up at Gaara, who seemed a bit frustrated. I took his hand, and his eyes snapped to mine. I gave a squeeze.

"Trust your heart." I breathed, and his eyes softened. I felt him tighten his grip.

"Hn," was his simple response, and I looked back to Aiko, who's eyes were a splitting image of her father's.

I stared at her for a moment, becoming more and more nostalgic as the seconds passed. Her eyes were the same since the first day I laid eyes upon them, sitting with Gaara in my room as she finally found the way to open her eyelids for the first time. I has gasped, Gaara wasn't able to take his eyes off of her. She was just like him, in so many ways.

But now I was returning home side by side with the two most important people in my life; My husband, my child, my love. My family. I took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

"Alright Aiko. Let's go home."

* * *

And that's it.

IT IS COMPLETE.

Thanks all you guys for your support along the way, I'm so sorry it took so long to finish this!

I've just been so busy and so unmotivated, but at least it's done now.

And again I'm sorry it ended ubruptly and so short, I might go back and edit a few things in the future.

Tell me what you think, Review and let me know if anything seems weird or really good!

LOVE ALL YOU GUYS. 3

~ Carenia


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